te ves muy hermosa
/te bes mui eɾmosa/from spelling rules
The English phrase "you look very beautiful" is translated into Spanish as te ves muy hermosa.
This phrase is a compliment used to tell a woman that she appears very attractive.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the pronoun te (you/yourself), the verb ves (you see), the adverb muy (very) and the adjective hermosa (beautiful). Literally, it translates to "you see yourself very beautiful."
Which one should you use?
While te ves implies how one 'appears' or 'looks' (visual impression), using estás muy hermosa would mean 'you are very beautiful' (state of being).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some parts of Latin America, chula is used to express admiration for someone's looks and papacito is also used to express admiration for someone's looks.
How does it change in a sentence?
While te ves muy hermosa is feminine, you can use te ves muy guapo to say a man looks very handsome or use the formal Se ve usted muy hermoso for a masculine subject.
Did you know?
- While hermosa is a standard compliment, using the word chula to say someone looks beautiful can change meaning entirely depending on the country. In Mexico, it is a cute compliment, but in other regions, it can imply someone is 'cheeky' or even 'low quality'.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, compliments on appearance are often accompanied by a light touch on the arm or a double cheek kiss, depending on the level of intimacy.
- The word muy comes from the Latin multum, which is the same root as the English word 'multitude'.
Examples in context
- Te ves muy hermosa con ese vestido rojo.You look very beautiful in that red dress.
- Hoy te ves muy hermosa, de verdad.Today you look very beautiful, truly.
- Te ves muy hermosa con el pelo suelto.You look very beautiful with your hair down.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Sofía are getting ready for a dinner date.
- AlejandroSofía, te ves muy hermosa.Sofía, you look very beautiful.
- Sofía¿En serio, Alejandro? Gracias.Really, Alejandro? Thank you.
- AlejandroSí, estás radiante esta noche.Yes, you are radiant tonight.
- SofíaQué amable eres, me haces sonreír.How kind you are, you make me smile.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries muy, te, ves, CC BY-SA 4.0.
