beau gosse
In French, the phrase for "cute guy" is beau gosse.
The phrase is used to describe a man who is physically attractive or handsome.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of beau, meaning handsome or beautiful and gosse, which is a colloquial term for a kid or guy.
Which one should you use?
While beau gosse implies physical attractiveness, it is more colloquial and slangy than the standard bel homme (handsome man).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Beau gosse is an informal expression commonly used by younger generations to describe an attractive man, often meaning "hot guy". For a formal way to say "good-looking young man", you can use Beau jeune homme. In very casual settings, you may also encounter the slang version Bogoss or the abbreviation BG, which is used in text messaging or very informal written French.
Did you know?
- The phrase beau gosse is often used ironically or sarcastically to tease a friend who is acting overly vain or trying too hard to look attractive.
- The word gosse might actually be a dialectal variant of gousse or cosse, which refer to a seed pod or a husk.
- While beau gosse means 'cute guy', the word gosse on its own is the standard colloquial word for 'child' in France. Calling a grown man a gosse normally implies he is immature, unless it is paired with beau.
Examples in context
- Il est vraiment mignon, ce gars-là ! Il a un sourire irrésistible.He's really cute, that guy! He has an irresistible smile.
- C'est un beau gosse, ce garçon.That boy is a cute guy.
- Regarde ce beau gosse là-bas.Look at that cute guy over there.
Example conversation
Léa and Hugo are sitting at a cafe watching people pass by.
- LéaRegarde ce beau gosse, Hugo.Look at that cute guy, Hugo.
- HugoAh oui, il est très charmant.Ah yes, he is very charming.
- LéaTu penses qu'il est célibataire ?Do you think he is single?
- HugoOn ne peut pas savoir.We can't know.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries beau, gosse, CC BY-SA 4.0.
