Te ves bien hoy
/te bes bjen oi/from spelling rules
The English phrase "you look good today" is translated into Spanish as Te ves bien hoy.
This phrase is used as a compliment to tell someone that their physical appearance is attractive or pleasing today. You can increase the intensity of the compliment by adding the word muy (very) before bien, resulting in Te ves muy bien hoy (You look very good today). For more specific compliments, you can replace bien with guapa to tell a woman she looks beautiful or pretty or guapo to tell a man he looks handsome.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "You see yourself well today" because the verb verse is reflexive.
Which one should you use?
While Te ves bien hoy focuses on how the person appears to others, Estás bien hoy would more likely mean "You are doing well/feeling well today" in terms of health or mood.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico and some Central American countries, ¡Te ves chido/a hoy! is used to mean "You look cool today".
How does it change in a sentence?
The form Te ves bien hoy uses the informal tú conjugation. To express different levels of praise informally, you might use Te ves genial hoy for "You look great today" or Hoy te ves estupendo/a for "Today you look amazing". You can also use Qué bien te ves hoy to say "You look so good today" or "How good you look today".
Did you know?
- The verb ves used in this phrase is believed to have been borrowed from the Catalan language.
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, the word guapo is not just a comment on looks but can also describe a man who is brave or bold.
- While Te ves bien is a compliment on appearance, using it with someone who is sick may be interpreted as a comment on their recovery or health.
Examples in context
- Te ves genial hoy. ¿Has cambiado de peinado?You look great today. Did you change your hairstyle?
- Te ves bien hoy con ese vestido.You look good today in that dress.
- ¡Te ves bien hoy!You look good today!
- Te ves bien hoy, me gusta tu cabello.You look good today, I like your hair.
Example conversation
Alejandro meets Elena at a cafe.
- AlejandroHola Elena, te ves bien hoy.Hello Elena, you look good today.
- ElenaMuchas gracias, Alejandro.Thank you very much, Alejandro.
- Alejandro¿Es un vestido nuevo?Is it a new dress?
- ElenaSí, es un regalo.Yes, it is a gift.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bien, hoy, te, ves, CC BY-SA 4.0.
