niña, eres hermosa
The English phrase "girl, you are beautiful" is translated into Spanish as niña, eres hermosa.
This phrase is a compliment used to tell a girl or young woman that she is physically attractive.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of niña (girl), eres (you are, second person singular) and hermosa (beautiful).
Which one should you use?
Using hermosa implies a high level of beauty, whereas guapa would mean 'pretty' or 'good-looking'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In many Spanish-speaking contexts, chica is a more common, slightly more casual way to address a young woman than niña, as seen in the informal phrase chica, eres hermosa. Other informal variations include Chica, eres guapa. for "Girl, you are gorgeous." and Nena, eres bonita. for "Honey, you are pretty."
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective hermosa must end in -a to agree with the feminine subject niña.
Did you know?
- The verb form eres is actually a linguistic relic of the Latin future tense, meaning 'you will be' rather than 'you are'.
- In Spain, the word guapa is sometimes used as a casual greeting or a way to get a stranger's attention, similar to 'dear' or 'love' in some English dialects.
- While it translates to 'girl', calling an adult woman niña can be perceived as patronizing or condescending in many Spanish-speaking cultures.
Example conversation
Mateo gives Sofía a compliment before a party.
- MateoSofía, niña, eres hermosa hoy.Sofía, girl, you are beautiful today.
- SofíaMuchas gracias, Mateo.Thank you very much, Mateo.
- MateoMe encanta tu peinado.I love your hairstyle.
- SofíaQué amable eres conmigo.How kind you are to me.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries eres, CC BY-SA 4.0.
