とても綺麗
totemo kirei
The English phrase "so pretty" is translated into Japanese as とても綺麗 (totemo kirei).
とても綺麗 is an expression used to describe someone or something that is very attractive or beautiful. Depending on the context, the word kirei can also mean "clean".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of totemo (very) and kirei (beautiful/pretty/clean).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai dialect, you may encounter the phrase べらぼうに美人やな, which means "You're terribly beautiful".
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding です to the end of とても綺麗 to make it とても綺麗です turns the phrase into a polite, complete sentence meaning "is so pretty".
How do you pronounce it?
totemo kirei
Did you know?
- Though とても綺麗 is the standard phrase, youth culture often uses the slang ヤバい ('yabai') to mean 'so pretty' when something is overwhelmingly attractive.
- Japanese speakers often avoid saying とても綺麗 directly to a person's face to avoid sounding too forward. Instead, they might describe a specific feature, such as the eyes or hair, to be more modest.
- In a professional setting, calling a coworker's work 綺麗 does not mean the work is 'pretty'. It means the work is precise, accurate and free of errors.
Examples in context
- 雪が大好きなの。とても綺麗なのよ！I love snow. It's so pretty!This sentence is useful for expressing how much you love snow and how pretty it is using とても綺麗.Tatoeba #9549795 by small_snow, translation #2147086 by AlanF_US
- 彼女のドレスはとてもきれいです。Her dress is so pretty.
- あなたの新しいヘアスタイル、すごくかわいいね！Your new hairstyle is really cute!
- この景色は本当にきれいだね。This scenery is truly beautiful.
- 君、べらぼうに美人やな！You're terribly beautiful!
- この花はとても綺麗ですね。Kono hana wa totemo kirei desu ne.This flower is so pretty, isn't it?
- あの景色はとても綺麗だった。Ano keshiki wa totemo kirei datta.That scenery was so pretty.
Example conversation
Daito and Himari are looking at a night view from a tower.
- 大翔 Hiroto見て、夜景がとても綺麗だね。Mite, yakei ga totemo kirei da ne.Look, the night view is so pretty.
- 陽葵 Himari本当に！びっくりするくらい綺麗。Hontou ni! Bikkuri suru kurai kirei.Really! It's surprisingly beautiful.
- 大翔 Hiroto陽葵に似合ってると思うよ。Himari ni niatteru to omou yo.I think it suits you, Himari.
- 陽葵 Himariありがとう、大翔くん。Arigatou, Daito-kun.Thank you, Daito.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
