How to Say “You Look Very Pretty Today” in Spanish

By •
estás muy guapa hoy
/estas mui ɡwapa oi/from spelling rules
The English phrase "you look very pretty today" can be translated into Spanish as estás muy guapa hoy.
This phrase is a compliment used to tell a woman or girl that she looks attractive at the present moment. The adjective guapa specifically means "pretty" or "attractive" when referring to females, while the alternative adjective bonita also means "pretty" for females.

What does it mean word for word?

The phrase estás muy guapa hoy literally translates to "you are very pretty today": estás means "you are" (referring to a temporary state), muy means "very", guapa means "pretty/attractive" and hoy means "today".

Which one should you use?

While English uses the verb "to look" to describe appearance, Spanish commonly uses the verb "to be" (specifically the form estar) to express how someone looks in a specific moment. Another way to say this is te ves muy guapa hoy, which uses the verb verse and more closely mirrors the English construction of "looking" a certain way.

Is it said differently in some regions?

In Mexico, the word hermosa can be used instead of guapa to say someone is pretty. In Spain, you may use guapísima to emphasize the degree of prettiness.

How does it change in a sentence?

The verb used in the default form, estás, is a form of estar, which is used for temporary states or appearances. This differs from the verb ser, which is used for permanent characteristics.

Did you know?

  • While guapa refers to beauty, in some contexts it can also mean 'bold' or 'brave', such as in the phrase ¡Qué guapo! to describe a daring act.
  • The word muy shares a common ancestor with the English word 'multitude', as both stem from the Latin 'multum'.
  • In many Spanish-speaking cultures, using the verb estar to say estás guapa is actually more flattering than using ser, because it implies the person looks especially wonderful in this specific moment.

Examples in context

  • ¡Usted se ve muy guapa hoy en el evento!
    You look very pretty today at the event!
  • ¡Te ves muy bonita hoy para nuestra cita!
    You look very pretty today for our date!
  • ¡Qué suerte tengo! Estás muy guapa hoy.
    How lucky I am! You look very pretty today.
  • Elena, estás muy guapa hoy con ese vestido.
    Elena, you look very pretty today in that dress.

Example conversation

Alejandro greets Elena as she arrives at a party.

  1. Elena

    Hola, Alejandro.
    Hello, Alejandro.
  2. Alejandro

    Hola, Elena. Estás muy guapa hoy.
    Hello, Elena. You look very pretty today.
  3. Elena

    Muchas gracias, eres muy amable.
    Thank you very much, you are very kind.
  4. Alejandro

    Es la verdad, te lo digo de corazón.
    It is the truth, I say it from my heart.

Sources

  • IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
  • Word origins: Wiktionary entries hoy, muy, CC BY-SA 4.0.
⭐Share⭐ to appreciate human effort 🙏
Sonia Toni
Sonia ToniHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
guest
0 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Scroll to Top