What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'you see yourself very well' because it uses the reflexive verb 'verse' (to see oneself) to express how one appears to others.
Which one should you use?
While te ves muy bien is a general compliment regarding appearance, you can be more specific about physical attractiveness. To say someone looks very beautiful or pretty (specifically for a woman), you can replace 'bien' with 'guapa' to say te ves muy guapa. To say someone looks very handsome (specifically for a man), you can use te ves muy guapo.
How does it change in a sentence?
To use this compliment with someone you address formally (usted), change the pronoun and verb form to se ve muy bien. If you want to compliment a group of people, use the plural form se ven muy bien.
Did you know?
- In Spain, people frequently use the word guapo to describe things that are not people, such as a coche guapo for a 'cool car'.
- If you use te ves muy bien in a social setting in some Latin American countries, it can be a subtle way to flirt rather than just a polite observation of style.
- The word muy is a direct descendant of the Latin multum, which is the same root used in English words like 'multitude' and 'multiply'.
Examples in context
- Usted se ve realmente elegante esta noche.You look really elegant tonight.
- Te ves súper bien con ese nuevo corte de pelo.You look really good with that new haircut.
- ¡Muchas gracias! Estaba un poco nervioso/a de cómo me vería.Thank you so much! I was a bit nervous about how I would look.
- Te ves muy bien con ese vestido.You look very nice in that dress.
- ¡Te ves muy bien hoy!You look very nice today!
- Te ves muy bien después de ese corte de pelo.You look very nice after that haircut.
Example conversation
Javier and Lucía are meeting for a date.
- JavierHola, Lucía. ¡Te ves muy bien!Hello, Lucía. You look very nice!
- LucíaGracias, Javier. Tú también te ves muy bien.Thanks, Javier. You look very nice too.
- JavierMe gusta mucho tu ropa.I really like your clothes.
- LucíaMuchas gracias por el cumplido.Thank you very much for the compliment.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bien, muy, te, ves, CC BY-SA 4.0.
