Ways to say it
| Dutch | IPA |
|---|---|
| liefelijk | |
| lieflijk | |
| beminnelijk | /bəˈmɪ.nə.lək/ |
The term is used to describe something that is beautiful, charming or very pleasing in its form, appearance, tone or manner. While liefelijk and its variants describe aesthetic or charming qualities, you might also encounter other words like leuk to mean fun or nice or the colloquial lekker to describe something as lovely or great.
Which one should you use?
liefelijk and lieflijk both mean lovely, but lieflijk is a slightly more formal or literary variant. Furthermore, while liefelijk and lieflijk generally describe things that are aesthetically pleasing or charming, beminnelijk is used specifically to describe a person's character as being lovable or easy to like.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Netherlands, the word gezellig is often used to describe a lovely atmosphere, typically translating to cozy or pleasant.
Related words
Did you know?
- While lieflijk refers to beauty, the Dutch use lekker to describe a 'lovely' nap or a 'lovely' breeze, even though the word primarily means 'tasty'.
- The word beminnelijk is built from beminnen, a poetic form of 'to love' that has almost entirely disappeared from modern daily conversation.
- In Dutch, lief is used as a noun to call a partner 'sweetheart' or 'dear', shifting from an adjective to a term of endearment.
Examples in context
- Je lieflijke stem klonk me zeer aangenaam in de oren.Your lovely voice was very pleasant to my ears.This sentence shows how to use the form lieflijk to describe a voice.Tatoeba #844743 by Vulgaris, translation #842904 by J_S
- Je ziet er prachtig uit vandaag!You look lovely today!
- Dat is een mooi cadeau!That is a lovely gift!
- Heb je een leuk weekend gehad?Did you have a lovely weekend?
- Wat een lekkere taart!What a lovely cake!
- Deze kamer is echt gezellig!This room is truly lovely!
- Wat een liefelijk uitzicht over de tuin.What a lovely view over the garden.
- Ze heeft een liefelijk karakter.She has a lovely character.
Example conversation
Daan and Sophie are looking at a photo of a garden.
- DaanKijk eens naar deze bloemen, Sophie.Look at these flowers, Sophie.
- SophieJa, het is een liefelijk plaatje.Yes, it is a lovely picture.
- DaanVind je de kleuren ook zo mooi?Do you think the colors are beautiful too?
- SophieAbsoluut, het is heel rustgevend.Absolutely, it is very soothing.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lovely” translations and entries lieflijk, beminnelijk, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
