tu es très jolie
To say "you look very pretty" in French, you use tu es très jolie.
This phrase is a compliment used to tell a woman or girl that she is attractive. While English uses the verb "to look" to describe appearance, French uses the verb "to be" (être) for this specific compliment.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase tu es très jolie literally translates to "you are very pretty".
Which one should you use?
Other forms offer different nuances. For example, Vous êtes vraiment ravissante expresses a sense of being "enchanting" or "charming" and Vous êtes magnifique translates to "you look magnificent". In an informal context, Tu es vraiment belle means "you're really beautiful" and Tu es canon means "you're hot" or "you look amazing".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, the phrase T'es ben belle or Vous êtes ben belle can mean "You look very pretty".
How does it change in a sentence?
To be more polite or formal, you should use vous êtes très jolie instead of tu es très jolie.
Did you know?
- The word ravissante comes from the verb ravir, which can mean both 'to delight' and 'to kidnap'.
- The slang phrase tu es canon uses the word for 'cannon' to describe someone as 'hot' or 'stunning'.
- The word très shares a root with the English prefix 'trans-', as both originate from the Latin word trāns meaning 'across' or 'beyond'.
Examples in context
- Tu es très jolie aujourd'hui.You look very pretty today.This sentence shows how to use tu es très jolie to compliment someone's appearance on a specific day.Tatoeba #7700393 by Maxence, translation #2270617 by _undertoad
- Tu es très jolie dans cette robe.You look very pretty in this dress.
Example conversation
Nathan and Emma are getting ready for a party.
- EmmaJe suis prête ! Est-ce que ça me va ?I'm ready! Does this look good on me?
- NathanOui, tu es très jolie, Emma.Yes, you are very pretty, Emma.
- EmmaC'est gentil, merci beaucoup.That's kind, thank you very much.
- NathanC'est la vérité, on y va ?It's the truth, shall we go?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries très, tu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
