te ves bien
/te bes bjen/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "you look fine" is translated as te ves bien.
This phrase is a compliment used to tell someone that their physical appearance is attractive or satisfactory. While the English word "fine" can sometimes sound lukewarm or unenthusiastic, te ves bien is almost always a genuine compliment in Spanish. If you want to be more specific about a woman looking beautiful or pretty, you can use te ves guapa. For a man looking handsome or good looking, use te ves guapo.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase te ves bien is composed of the pronoun te (yourself), the verb ves (you see) and the adverb bien (well).
Which one should you use?
You can use different forms depending on who you are addressing and the level of intensity. To increase the strength of the compliment from "fine" to "very good", add muy before bien to say te ves muy bien.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, you might hear the informal phrase Estás re bien to mean "You're really fine."
How does it change in a sentence?
To use this phrase when referring to a third person (he/she) or to use the formal "usted," change te ves to se ve.
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, telling a stranger te ves bien can be interpreted as flirtation rather than a polite observation.
- Using the verb estar instead of verse in estás bien can change the meaning from a compliment about appearance to a question about someone's health or emotional state.
- The pronoun te shares a Proto-Indo-European ancestor *twé with the English word 'thee'.
Examples in context
- Usted luce muy bien hoyYou look very good today.
- Te ves bien con ese vestido.You look fine in that dress.
- ¡Te ves bien hoy!You look fine today!
- Te ves bien con el pelo corto.You look fine with short hair.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are getting ready to go to a party.
- Elena¡Alejandro, te ves bien!Alejandro, you look fine!
- AlejandroGracias, Elena. ¿Y tú?Thanks, Elena. And you?
- ElenaMe siento muy elegante.I feel very elegant.
- AlejandroSí, te ves muy guapa.Yes, you look very beautiful.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bien, te, ves, CC BY-SA 4.0.
