Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| хоро́шенький | xoróšenʹkij | masculine |
| ми́лый | mílyj | masculine |
| милови́дный | milovídnyj | masculine |
| ми́ленький | mílenʹkij | masculine |
| привлека́тельный | privlekátelʹnyj | masculine |
| симпати́чный | simpatíčnyj | masculine |
In Russian, some forms imply being 'pleasant' or 'attractive' specifically when referring to women and children.
Which one should you use?
привлека́тельный is a more neutral and standard way to say 'attractive' for adults, whereas хоро́шенький is often used for children or in a more endearing way. For a more casual, modern sense of being 'cute' or 'personable', use симпати́чный. If you want to describe a face that is pleasant or sweet-looking in a literary context, милови́дный is the appropriate choice. Finally, ми́ленький is a diminutive form that carries a stronger sense of 'cute' or 'sweet' and is often used when talking about babies, pets or something very endearing.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
милови́дный is a more literary or formal term. привлека́тельный is a more neutral and standard way to say 'attractive'. симпати́чный is often used in a more casual, modern sense. ми́ленький is a diminutive form. When addressing an attractive woman informally, you might use the noun красотка to mean 'cutie' or 'beauty'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form of the default adjective хоро́шенький is хоро́шенькая.
How do you pronounce it?
xoróšenʹkij
Did you know?
- The word симпати́чный is a direct relative of the English word 'sympathetic', but it has moved away from meaning 'feeling empathy' to simply meaning 'attractive' or 'good-looking'.
- The root of хоро́шенький is хорошо́, which is the general word for 'good' and 'well', linking beauty directly to moral or functional goodness.
- While English uses 'pretty' for many things, using хоро́шенький to describe an adult man can sound patronizing or even slightly insulting, as if you are treating him like a child.
Examples in context
- Он – очень красивый парень.He is a very handsome guy.
- У вас здесь прекрасный город.You have a beautiful city here.
- Мой друг – очень симпатичный парень.My friend is a very good-looking guy.
- Твоя сестра – красивая женщина.Your sister is a beautiful woman.
Example conversation
Andrey and Maria are looking at a photo of a small boy.
- Андрей AndreyПосмотри, какой он хоро́шенький!Posmotri, kakoy on khoroshenkiy!Look, how pretty he is!
- Мария MariaДа, он очень похож на отца.Da, on ochen pokhozh na ottsa.Yes, he looks a lot like his father.
- Андрей AndreyТакой милый и хоро́шенький мальчик.Takoy milyy i khoroshenkiy malchik.Such a sweet and pretty boy.
- Мария MariaСогласна, он просто очаровашка.Soglasna, on prosto ocharovashka.I agree, he is just adorable.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pretty” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
