How to Say “Handsome” in Portuguese

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bonito
/buˈni.tu/
The Portuguese word for handsome is bonito.
Bonito is the most common word used to describe a man as handsome. It can also be used to mean beautiful or pretty when describing objects, places or women.
Meaning: of man: attractive (adj)

Which one should you use?

While bonito is the standard term, you may encounter other words depending on the context: atraente means attractive and is suitable for formal contexts, while gato (literally cat) and gostoso (literally tasty or delicious) are informal ways to describe an attractive person. For a more intense, colloquial description of someone as a 'hunk' or very handsome, you can use bonitão.

How does it change in a sentence?

The adjective must agree in gender and number with the person or thing being described. Use bonito for a handsome man, but use bonita for a beautiful woman. For groups, use bonitos for a group of men or a mixed-gender group and bonitas for a group of women.

How do you pronounce it?

The pronunciation is /buˈni.tu/. It has three syllables and the stress is on the second syllable.

Did you know?

  • In Portuguese, the word bonito is a loanword from Spanish, which combined the word for 'good' with a diminutive suffix.
  • If you call an attractive man gato, you are calling him a 'cat', which is a very common way to say he is a 'hottie' in Brazil.

Examples in context

  • Ele é muito bonito.
    He is very handsome.
    This sentence is useful for stating that a man is very handsome using bonito.
    Tatoeba #404957 by brauliobezerra, translation #400911 by CK
  • Ela o achou bonito.
    She found him handsome.
    This sentence shows how to express that someone found a man handsome using bonito.
    Tatoeba #892054 by alexmarcelo, translation #887128 by CK
  • Tom é alto e bonito.
    Tom is tall and handsome.
    This sentence demonstrates describing a man as both tall and handsome using bonito.
    Tatoeba #4907204 by bill, translation #2644887 by CK
  • O senhor é muito bonito.
    You are very handsome, sir.
  • Você é um gato!
    You are handsome!
  • 51 more sentences on Tatoeba

Example conversation

Juliana and Gabriel are at a coffee shop.

  1. Juliana

    Gabriel, você está muito bonito hoje.
    Gabriel, you look very handsome today.
  2. Gabriel

    Obrigado, Juliana. Você também está linda.
    Thank you, Juliana. You look beautiful too.
  3. Juliana

    Acho que esse azul combina com você.
    I think this blue color suits you.
  4. Gabriel

    Que bom que você gostou.
    I am glad you liked it.

Sources

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Lara Ellen
Lara EllenHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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