jolie dame
The English phrase "pretty lady" translates to French as jolie dame.
jolie dame is a polite or complimentary way to describe a woman who is physically attractive.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the adjective jolie (pretty) and the noun dame (lady).
Which one should you use?
While jolie dame is a polite and slightly old-fashioned way to say "pretty lady", belle femme is a more direct and common way to say "beautiful woman".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase jolie dame is considered formal, polite or even literary because of the use of dame instead of femme. For a more formal setting, you might use belle dame (beautiful lady) or charmante demoiselle (charming young lady). In contrast, if you want to be informal, you can use belle nana, which translates to "beautiful chick" or "pretty lady".
How does it change in a sentence?
Because dame is a feminine noun, the adjective jolie must take the feminine form ending in -e.
Did you know?
- The word dame is also the root of the English term 'dam', which refers to a female animal, particularly in horse breeding.
- In a formal French context, calling someone a demoiselle instead of a dame traditionally indicated that the woman was unmarried.
- While jolie dame sounds quite poetic, using it in a modern street setting might actually sound like you are role-playing a character from a 19th-century novel.
Examples in context
- Un homme qui peut conduire prudemment en embrassant une jolie dame ne consacre tout simplement pas au baiser l'attention qu'il mérite.Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty lady is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.This sentence is useful for illustrating the use of jolie dame in a descriptive context.Tatoeba #546624 by sacredceltic, translation #509746 by Shishir
- "Ça vous dérange si je m'assois ici ?" – "Bien sûr ! Je ne vous trouve pas sympathique du tout et, à cause de vous, je ne pourrais pas voir cette jolie dame là-bas."Do you mind if I sit here?" "Of course I mind! I don't find you nice at all, and because of you, I couldn't see that pretty lady over there."This sentence shows how jolie dame can be used when referring to someone in the distance.Tatoeba #6934220 by Micsmithel, translation #6935550 by kaiperkins271
- Madame, vous êtes une belle dame.Madam, you are a beautiful lady.
- Mademoiselle, vous êtes une jolie femme.Miss, you are a pretty woman.
- Mademoiselle, vous êtes une charmante demoiselle.Miss, you are a charming young lady.
- Cette jolie dame porte un chapeau rouge.This pretty lady is wearing a red hat.
Example conversation
Hugo and Manon are walking through a park.
- ManonRegarde cette jolie dame avec le chien.Look at that pretty lady with the dog.
- HugoElle est très élégante, n'est-ce pas ?She is very elegant, isn't she?
- ManonOui, elle semble très sympathique.Yes, she seems very friendly.
- HugoOn pourrait aller la saluer.We could go say hello to her.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
