جَمِيل
jamīl
The English word "pretty" can be translated into Arabic as جَمِيل (jamīl). Wiktionary also lists لَطِيف (laṭīf).
Meaning: especially of women and children: pleasant, attractive (adj)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| جَمِيل | jamīl |
| لَطِيف | laṭīf |
The term جَمِيل is used to describe something or someone as pleasant or attractive, especially in reference to women and children.
Which one should you use?
While جَمِيل refers to physical attractiveness, لَطِيف is often used to describe a pleasant personality or a 'nice' demeanor.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain Arabic regions, including Levantine dialects, كتير حلوة is used informally to mean "very pretty."
How does it change in a sentence?
In Arabic, adjectives must agree with the gender of the noun they describe. The plural form for masculine subjects is جَمِيلُونَ and the plural form for feminine subjects is جَمِيلَات.
How do you pronounce it?
jamīl
Did you know?
- In some Levantine contexts, a person might say بِيْطَيِّر العَقْل (it flies the mind) to describe something or someone so pretty it causes one to lose their senses.
- In many Arabic cultures, calling a child جَمِيل might be followed by saying ما شاء الله to avoid the 'evil eye'. This protects the child from jealousy that could be triggered by praising their beauty.
- In many Arabic dialects, calling someone قَمَر (moon) is a common way to say they are exceptionally pretty or radiant.
Examples in context
- هذه السيدة جميلة جدًا.This lady is very pretty.
- يراها الجميع حسناءً.Everyone sees her as beautiful.
- أنتِ حلوة جدًا.You are very pretty.
- مروان بيحكي عنّا بالمدرسة إنو نورا كتير حلوة.Marwan talks about us at school saying that Noura is very pretty.
- هَذِهِ الفَتَاةُ جَمِيلَةٌ.hadhihi al-fataatu jamilatun.This girl is pretty.
- رَأَيْتُ بِنْتًا جَمِيلَةً اليَوْمَ.ra'aytu bintan jamilatan al-yawm.I saw a pretty girl today.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pretty” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
