hermoso
/eɾˈmoso/
The English word beautiful is translated into Spanish as hermoso. Wiktionary also lists bello and bel.
Meaning: attractive (adj)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| hermoso | /eɾˈmoso/ |
| bello | /ˈbeʝo/ |
| bel | /ˈbel/ |
The word hermoso can be used to describe not just physical appearance, but also weather, scenery or abstract concepts like a 'beautiful day'.
Which one should you use?
While hermoso and bello both mean beautiful, hermoso is more commonly used in everyday conversation, whereas bello often carries a more poetic or aesthetic connotation.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, preciosísima is an emphatic form of preciosa used to convey extreme beauty.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective hermoso must agree in gender with the noun it modifies, changing to the feminine form hermosa for feminine nouns. The adjective hermoso must agree in number with the noun it modifies, changing to the masculine plural form hermosos for masculine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/eɾˈmoso/
Did you know?
- The word hermoso shares its roots with the English word 'form', as both come from the Latin 'formosus' meaning 'having a beautiful shape'.
- In Spanish, the concept of beauty is often expressed through precioso, which is derived from the word for 'precious' or 'of high price'.
- Spanish speakers often use the word lindo for beauty, which in some Latin American countries specifically implies a 'cute' or 'sweet' kind of beauty rather than the grandeur of hermoso.
Examples in context
- La vida es bella.Life is beautiful.This sentence shows the use of bel.Tatoeba #2936 by Shishir, translation #1829 by CK
- El agua es bella.The water is beautiful.Tatoeba #5439765 by mferrer0000, translation #5395101 by Hybrid
- Es un día hermoso.It's a beautiful day.This sentence shows the use of hermoso.Tatoeba #1359807 by marcelostockle, translation #318150 by CK
- Eres una mujer hermosaYou are a beautiful woman
- Tienes una sonrisa hermosaYou have a beautiful smile
- Eres bellaYou are beautiful
- Llevas un vestido muy lindo, te ves bellaYou are wearing a beautiful dress, you look beautiful
- Eres preciosaYou are precious
- Tus ojos son preciososYour eyes are beautiful
- Hola guapa, ¿cómo estás?Hello beautiful, how are you?
- Te ves guapa con ese peinadoYou look beautiful with that hairstyle
- Eres bonitaYou are pretty
- ¡Hola hermosura! ¿Cómo estuvo tu día?Hello beauty! How was your day?
- Eres mi hermosura favoritaYou are my favorite beauty
- ¡Eres preciosísima, cariño!You are extremely beautiful, my dear!
- 362 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and María are at an art gallery looking at a painting.
- MaríaEste cuadro es muy hermoso.This painting is very beautiful.
- JavierSí, los colores son hermosos.Yes, the colors are beautiful.
- MaríaMe gusta mucho este estilo.I like this style a lot.
- JavierEs una obra muy hermosa.It is a very beautiful work.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “beautiful” translations and entries hermoso, bello, bel, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bel, bello, hermoso, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
