joli
/ʒɔ.li/
The French word for pretty is joli.
In French, joli is used to describe something as pleasant or attractive, particularly when referring to women and children. While it can describe people, it is also very commonly used to describe objects, names or weather to convey the sense of something being nice or pleasant.
Meaning: especially of women and children: pleasant, attractive (adj)
Which one should you use?
Use joli when you want to imply a pleasant or cute attractiveness. If you wish to describe someone with a higher degree of beauty or striking looks, use beau or belle (beautiful/handsome) instead.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must agree in gender with the noun it describes, using the feminine form jolie for feminine nouns. The masculine plural form of the adjective is jolis. The feminine plural form of the adjective is jolies.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ʒɔ.li/ and consists of 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word joli may share a common ancestor with the English word 'Yule', tracing back to a celebration of the midwinter festival.
- In a sarcastic context, joli can be used to describe a disaster or a mistake, similar to how an English speaker might say 'nice one' after someone drops a plate.
- The phrase un joli parti does not refer to a pretty object but to a person who is a socially and financially attractive marriage prospect.
Examples in context
- Tu es très jolie.You're very pretty.This sentence shows how to use the feminine form of joli.Tatoeba #1223977 by sacredceltic, translation #863589 by Daga007
- Ma sœur est jolie.My sister is pretty.This sentence demonstrates using the feminine form of joli.Tatoeba #822095 by Julien_PDC, translation #251899 by CK
- C'est un joli nom.That's a pretty name.This sentence shows how to use joli to describe a name.Tatoeba #3487324 by sacredceltic, translation #3476026 by Hybrid
- Cette actrice est ravissanteThis actress is charming.
- Ce chiot est tellement mignonThis puppy is so cute.
- Ta robe est vraiment jolieYour dress is really pretty.
- Ta nouvelle maison est charmanteYour new house is charming.
- Elle a des yeux ravissants .She has charming eyes.
- Ta nouvelle coiffure est très jolie .Your new hairstyle is very pretty.
- 187 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Hugo are looking at a photo of a girl.
- ChloéRegarde cette photo, elle est très jolie.Look at this photo, she is very pretty.
- HugoOui, c'est une jolie petite fille.Yes, she is a pretty little girl.
- ChloéElle a un sourire charmant.She has a charming smile.
- HugoC'est vrai, elle est ravissante.It's true, she is lovely.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pretty” translations and entries joli, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries joli, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
