te ves bien
/te bes bjen/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "you look nice" is expressed as te ves bien.
This phrase is a compliment used to tell someone that their current appearance is attractive or pleasing. It focuses on a person's appearance in a specific moment or in a particular outfit.
Which one should you use?
While te ves bien focuses on how someone looks in a specific moment or outfit, estás bien would mean "you are well" (referring to health or state of being).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, Te ves lindo/a is used to mean "You look nice."
How does it change in a sentence?
To use this phrase with a formal "you" (usted) or to refer to a third person, change te ves to se ve, resulting in se ve bien. You can also intensify the compliment by adding the word muy before bien to say te ves muy bien, which means "you look very nice".
How do you pronounce it?
/te bes bjen/
Did you know?
- While te ves bien is a compliment, saying estás bueno or estás buena shifts the meaning from 'looking nice' to 'being hot' or physically attractive in a sexual way.
- In Spain, people are more likely to use estás guapa or estás guapo to say someone looks nice, whereas te ves bien is more common in the Americas.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, a compliment on appearance is often met with a modest deflection or a return compliment rather than a simple 'thank you'.
Examples in context
- Te ves bien en ese suéter rojo.You look nice in that red sweater.This sentence is useful for noting how someone looks in a specific piece of clothing using te ves bien.Tatoeba #1977498 by marcelostockle, translation #70235 by CK
- Te ves bien con el cabello corto.You look nice with your hair short.This sentence is useful for noting how someone looks with a specific hairstyle using te ves bien.Tatoeba #625852 by Leono, translation #282721 by CK
- ¡Tiene usted un aspecto agradable! Su traje le sienta muy bien.You have a pleasant appearance! Your suit looks great on you.
- ¡Te ves bien! Ese peinado te queda genial.You look good! That hairstyle suits you perfectly.
- Hoy te ves bien.You look nice today.
Example conversation
Daniel meets María at a cafe.
- DanielHola María, te ves bien.Hello María, you look nice.
- María¡Gracias, Daniel! Tú también te ves bien.Thanks, Daniel! You look nice too.
- Daniel¿Te gusta mi nueva camisa?Do you like my new shirt?
- MaríaSí, te queda muy bien.Yes, it looks very good on you.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
