belle femme
The English phrase beautiful woman is translated into French as belle femme.
This phrase is used to describe a woman who is physically attractive.
Which one should you use?
jolie dame is a more formal and refined way to say beautiful woman, whereas belle nana is an informal way to say beautiful girl or gorgeous woman.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the standard phrase, the adjective belle precedes the noun femme. To express the plural, beautiful women, both the adjective and the noun must take an 's' to become belles femmes.
Did you know?
- The root of the word femme is related to the concept of nursing, linking the identity of a woman to the biological act of breastfeeding.
- While femme means 'woman' in modern French, it can also mean 'wife' depending on the context of the sentence.
- The word femme shares an ancient root with the English word 'female', though they evolved through different paths from Latin and Proto-Indo-European.
Examples in context
- C'est la plus belle femme.She's the most beautiful woman.This example shows how to use belle femme to indicate someone is the most beautiful woman.Tatoeba #4615446 by sacredceltic, translation #1845236 by Shishir
- Belle femme, n'est-ce pas ?Beautiful woman, isn't she?This example uses belle femme as a rhetorical question regarding a woman's beauty.Tatoeba #2603348 by sacredceltic, translation #2544450 by CK
- Tu es une très belle femme.You're a very beautiful woman.This example uses belle femme to tell someone directly that they are a very beautiful woman.Tatoeba #12266135 by lbdx, translation #2642790 by CK
- La dame assise au premier rang est une belle femme.The lady sitting in the front row is a beautiful woman.
- L'ambassadrice était une jolie dame lors du gala.The ambassador was a beautiful woman during the gala.
- Regardez cette magnifique fille qui vient d'entrer!Look at that stunning girl who just entered!
- 44 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Chloé are looking at a painting in an art gallery.
- HugoRegarde cette belle femme sur le tableau.Look at this beautiful woman in the painting.
- ChloéOui, elle est vraiment magnifique.Yes, she is truly magnificent.
- HugoL'artiste a capturé sa grâce.The artist captured her grace.
- ChloéC'est une œuvre d'art sublime.It is a sublime work of art.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries femme, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
