bello
/ˈbɛl.lo/
The English phrase 'lovely' can be translated into Italian as bello. Wiktionary also lists magnifico.
Meaning: beautiful, charming, very pleasing in form, looks, tone, or manner (adj)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA |
|---|---|
| bello | /ˈbɛl.lo/ |
| magnifico | /maɲˈɲi.fi.ko/ |
The word bello is used to describe something that is beautiful, charming or very pleasing in its form, appearance, tone or manner.
Which one should you use?
While both bello and magnifico can be translated as 'lovely' in English, magnifico implies a much higher degree of splendor or greatness than the more common bello.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective bello must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. Use bella for feminine singular, belli for masculine plural and belle for feminine plural. When placed before a masculine noun starting with a vowel, the form often shortens to bell'.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈbɛl.lo/. It has 2 syllables and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- In Italian, the phrase fare il bello means to do as one pleases or to act with impunity, regardless of whether the action is actually 'lovely'.
- The word bello is frequently used as a filler or intensifier in phrases like un bel pezzo, which can mean 'a long time' rather than a 'beautiful piece'.
- In certain regional dialects, particularly in the south, you might hear people use the word bello to mean 'good' or 'fine' when referring to food or quality, similar to the English 'lovely' used for a meal.
Examples in context
- Quanto sarebbe bello condividere storie attorno a un fuoco scoppiettante?How lovely would it be to share stories around a crackling fire?This sentence uses bello to express how lovely an idea might be.Tatoeba #13240532 by Nuel, translation #13240531 by Nuel
- Fa bello oggi.It's lovely weather today.This sentence uses bello to describe lovely weather.Tatoeba #3210282 by Guybrush88, translation #773224 by marloncori
- Com'è bello vederla.So lovely to see you.This sentence uses bello to express how lovely it is to see someone.Tatoeba #12055104 by Danka, translation #12055105 by Danka
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Matteo and Chiara are walking through a flower garden.
- MatteoGuarda che bello questo giardino.Look how lovely this garden is.
- ChiaraSì, è davvero un posto incantevole.Yes, it is truly an enchanting place.
- MatteoHai ragione, è tutto molto bello.You're right, everything is very lovely.
- ChiaraMi sento molto rilassata qui.I feel very relaxed here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lovely” translations and entries bello, magnifico, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
