きれいだね
kirei da ne
To say "you look beautiful" in Japanese, use きれいだね (kirei da ne).
This phrase is a compliment used to tell someone that they are physically attractive or lovely. In Japanese, the word for "you" (anata) is often omitted in this phrase because the context makes it clear who is being complimented.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a formal approach, you can use Anata wa kirei desu. If you want to be polite and suitable for someone you are not close with, change the ending to きれいですね. For an informal compliment of someone's appearance, you may use Kimi wa kirei da.
How do you pronounce it?
kirei da ne
Did you know?
- In Japanese culture, giving direct compliments on physical appearance can sometimes be perceived as overly blunt or even intrusive. Often, people prefer to compliment a person's style or the atmosphere they create rather than their physical features alone.
- The word きれい (kirei) can also mean 'clean' or 'tidy' in Japanese. While it is used to compliment beauty, telling someone they look 'kirei' can sometimes imply they look neat and well-presented.
- In Japan, direct compliments on physical appearance can sometimes be met with humble denials. It is common for the recipient to reply with そんなことないです, meaning 'that is not the case'.
Examples in context
- きれいだね。Kirei da ne.You look beautiful.
Example conversation
Ren and Misaki are walking together at a night festival.
- 蓮 Ren美咲、きれいだね。Misaki, kirei da ne.Misaki, you look beautiful.
- 美咲 Misaki本当？ありがとう、蓮。Hontou? Arigatou, Ren.Really? Thank you, Ren.
- 蓮 Ren浴衣がとても似合っているよ。Yukata ga totemo niatte iru yo.The yukata suits you very well.
- 美咲 Misaki嬉しい。もっと歩こう！Ureshii. Motto arukou!I'm happy. Let's walk more!
