bel inconnu
The English phrase 'beautiful stranger' is translated into French as bel inconnu.
This phrase is used to refer to an attractive person whom the speaker does not know.
What does it mean word for word?
The expression is a literal combination of bel (beautiful) and inconnu (unknown or stranger).
Which one should you use?
The form of the phrase changes to match the gender of the person being described. Use bel inconnu for a man and belle inconnue for a woman. To say 'a beautiful stranger', you can add the indefinite article un before the masculine phrase to get un bel inconnu.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase must agree in gender with the person you are describing: use bel inconnu for a male stranger and belle inconnue for a female stranger.
Did you know?
- In French, calling someone an inconnu often evokes a romantic or mysterious archetype in literature and song, rather than simply being a person the speaker has never met.
- Unlike the English word 'stranger', which implies someone who is out of place, inconnu literally translates to 'the unknown'.
- The masculine form changes from beau to bel because of a phonetic rule. When a word starting with a vowel follows, French speakers use bel to avoid a clashing sound between two vowels.
Examples in context
- Excusez-moi, mais je tenais à vous dire que vous êtes une ravissante inconnue .Excuse me, but I wanted to let you know that you are an exquisite stranger.
- Elle l'a regardé, ce bel inconnu.She looked at him, this beautiful stranger.
Example conversation
Chloé and Hugo are looking at a photo of a man.
- ChloéRegarde ce bel inconnu, Hugo !Look at this beautiful stranger, Hugo!
- HugoOui, il a un visage très charmant.Yes, he has a very charming face.
- ChloéJe me demande d'où il vient.I wonder where he is from.
- HugoC'est peut-être un acteur connu.Maybe he is a famous actor.
