così bello
/koˈzi ˈbɛl.lo/word by word
The English phrase "so beautiful" is translated into Italian as così bello.
così bello is used to describe someone or something that has a very high degree of beauty.
What does it mean word for word?
The word così means "so" or "thus", and bello means "beautiful".
Which one should you use?
While così bello is used for emphasis, tanto bello can also mean "so beautiful" and is often used to express a high degree of intensity or quantity of beauty.
How does it change in a sentence?
Use the feminine form così bella when describing a feminine noun or person. Use the masculine plural form così belli when describing a group of men or a mixed-gender group of things/people. Use the feminine plural form così belle when describing a group of women or feminine objects.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /koˈzi ˈbɛl.lo/. It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- To emphasize that something is 'so beautiful' it actually hurts or overwhelms, Italians might use the phrase bello da far paura, meaning 'beautiful enough to cause fear'.
- The word bello is used in the common expression bella figura, which describes the act of making a good impression on others rather than physical beauty.
- The Latin root of bello, *bellus, was originally used to describe things that were 'charming' or 'pleasant' rather than just visually stunning.
Examples in context
- Tutto era così bello.Everything was so beautiful.This sentence demonstrates the use of così bello to describe a state of being.Tatoeba #5678791 by Guybrush88, translation #4494062 by CK
- L'Islam è così bello.Islam is so beautiful.This sentence shows così bello being used to describe a concept or religion.Tatoeba #13472086 by Guybrush88, translation #8249444 by Amastan
- Il tempo è così bello.Time is so beautiful.This sentence illustrates così bello used in a sentence about time.Tatoeba #1116885 by Guybrush88, translation #540024 by sacredceltic
- La tua voce è meravigliosa!Your voice is so beautiful!
- La vista è stupenda!The view is so beautiful!
- Hai un sorriso splendido!You have a beautiful smile!
- La campagna toscana è davvero incantevole.The Tuscan countryside is truly beautiful.
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Giulia and Alessandro are visiting an art gallery.
- GiuliaGuarda questo quadro, è così bello!Look at this painting, it is so beautiful!
- AlessandroSì, i colori sono fantastici.Yes, the colors are fantastic.
- GiuliaNon avevo mai visto nulla di così bello.I had never seen anything so beautiful.
- AlessandroHai ragione, Giulia, è davvero speciale.You are right, Giulia, it is truly special.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (così, bello) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bello, così, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
