bel homme
The French phrase for "handsome man" is bel homme.
This phrase is used to describe a man who is physically attractive.
Which one should you use?
While bel homme is used for a man, the equivalent phrase for a beautiful woman is belle femme.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase is masculine singular. It uses the special form bel instead of the standard beau because homme begins with a mute 'h'. When using the indefinite article, the phrase becomes un bel homme.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use beau homme, as this is grammatically incorrect due to the phonetic rules regarding the mute 'h' in homme.
Did you know?
- In French, calling someone a beau gosse is a modern and flirtatious way to say they are handsome, akin to calling them a 'hottie'.
- The English word 'human' and the French homme both descend from the same Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'earthling'.
- The word homme is a linguistic relative of the French pronoun on, which refers to 'one' or 'a person'.
Examples in context
- C'est un bel homme.He is a handsome man.This sentence shows how to use bel homme to identify a person.Tatoeba #916404 by sacredceltic, translation #327948 by CK
- Il est plutôt bel homme.He's a rather handsome man.This sentence demonstrates using bel homme to describe someone's appearance as rather handsome.Tatoeba #6851506 by Blabla, translation #6852114 by Eccles17
- Il est plutôt bel homme, non ?He's a rather handsome man, isn't he?This sentence illustrates how to use bel homme when asking for confirmation.Tatoeba #6851507 by Blabla, translation #6852115 by Eccles17
- Ce monsieur est un bel hommeThis gentleman is a handsome man.
- Il est canonHe is handsome.
- Tu es un beau mec avec de beaux yeuxYou are a handsome man with beautiful eyes.
- Tu es un bel homme dans ce costumeYou're a handsome man in that suit.
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Gabriel are looking at a photo in a magazine.
- ChloéRegarde ce bel homme sur la photo.Look at this handsome man in the photo.
- GabrielC'est vrai, il est très charmant.It's true, he is very charming.
- ChloéEst-ce que tu connais cet acteur ?Do you know this actor?
- GabrielNon, je ne le connais pas du tout.No, I don't know him at all.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bel, homme, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
