bella
/ˈbɛl.la/
The phrase "beautiful to a girl" in Italian is translated as bella.
This adjective is used to describe a girl who is physically attractive. While it can translate to "beautiful", it is also the standard way to say "pretty" or "lovely" when describing a girl's appearance.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective bella changes its ending to belle when referring to a group of girls.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 2 syllables and the stress is on the 1st syllable. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbɛl.la/.
Did you know?
- While bella means 'beautiful', the expression bella ciao translates to 'beautiful goodbye' and is the title of a world-famous partisan anthem of resistance.
- Italian speakers often use bella as a filler word in the slang phrase bella! to mean 'hey!' or 'what's up!' when greeting friends in cities like Milan.
- The phrase bella is central to the famous Italian expression bella figura, which refers to the cultural importance of presenting oneself well in public to maintain social dignity.
Examples in context
- Signorina, sei bellissima!Miss, you are beautiful!
- Sei una donna davvero splendida!You are a truly splendid woman!
- Ciao bella, come stai?Hi beautiful, how are you?
- Sei davvero stupenda oggi!You look absolutely stunning today!
- Sei una persona meravigliosa, dentro e fuori!You are a wonderful person, inside and out!
- Gentile signora, volevo dirle che è davvero bellissima oggi.Dear Madam, I wanted to tell you that you look truly beautiful today.
- Ciao cara, devo dirtelo: sei stupenda con quel vestito!Hi dear, I have to tell you: you look gorgeous in that dress!
- È una ragazza molto bella.She is a very beautiful girl.
- Quella bambina è bella.That little girl is beautiful.
Example conversation
Alessandro compliments Chiara on her appearance before a date.
- ChiaraCiao Chiara, sei bellissima e molto bella!Hi Chiara, you are gorgeous and very beautiful!
- AlessandroGrazie mille, Alessandro. Sei molto gentile.Thank you so much, Alessandro. You are very kind.
- ChiaraDico solo la verità.I am just telling the truth.
- AlessandroMi fai arrossire!You are making me blush!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry bella, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
