그녀는 예뻐요
geunyeoneun yeppeoyo
The English phrase 'she is pretty' is translated into Korean as 그녀는 예뻐요 (geunyeoneun yeppeoyo).
This phrase is used to say that a female person is attractive.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 그녀 (she), the topic marker 는 (is/as for) and 예뻐요 (is pretty).
Which one should you use?
You might use 이뻐. for a more informal expression of being pretty, or 귀엽다. which literally means 'cute' but can be used in a relaxed way to describe someone as pretty.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form 그녀는 예뻐요 is a polite way to speak. For a formal tone, you can say 그녀는 아름답습니다. If you are speaking to close friends or people younger than you, you can use the informal version 그녀는 예뻐 or the short form 이뻐.
How do you pronounce it?
geunyeoneun yeppeoyo
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often over-use 그녀 (she) in Korean, but in natural conversation, Koreans usually omit the subject or use the person's name/title instead.
Did you know?
- While 그녀 means 'she', it was actually coined by translators of Western literature to mirror English pronouns. In traditional spoken Korean, people rarely use it and instead refer to the person as 'that person' 그 사람 or by their social title.
- The word 예쁘다 can describe more than just physical appearance. It is often used to describe a 'pretty' heart 마음이 예쁘다, meaning someone has a kind or virtuous personality.
- In Korea, describing a woman as 'pretty' can sometimes be perceived as a shallow compliment. Using terms that imply 'cuteness' like 귀엽다 can often feel more affectionate and less objectifying in many social contexts.
Examples in context
- 그 여자 정말 이뻐!That girl is really pretty!
Example conversation
Seoyeon and Jihoon are looking at a photo of a friend.
- 서연 Seo-yeon이 친구 어때요?i chin-gu eottaeyo?What do you think of this friend?
- 지훈 Ji-hun와, 그녀는 예뻐요.wa, geunyeoneun yeppeoyo.Wow, she is pretty.
- 서연 Seo-yeon맞아요, 정말 매력적이에요.majayo, jeongmal maeryeokjeogieyo.Right, she is really charming.
- 지훈 Ji-hun저도 그렇게 생각해요.jeodo geureoke saenggakhaeyo.I think so too.
