tu es jolie
The English phrase "you're pretty" is translated into French as tu es jolie.
This phrase is a compliment used to tell a woman or girl that she is attractive.
Which one should you use?
While jolie means "pretty", the term belle is a stronger way to say "beautiful".
How does it change in a sentence?
The form tu es jolie is used specifically when addressing a female. To say "you're pretty" to a male, the adjective changes to the masculine form tu es joli. If you are speaking to a woman in a formal context or to multiple women, you should use vous êtes jolie or vous êtes jolies.
Did you know?
- In French, the word joli can be used as an intensifier meaning 'considerable' or 'quite a lot' when describing a quantity, such as un joli budget.
- In some contexts, saying c'est joli about a person's behavior is a sarcastic way to say their action was inappropriate or 'cheeky'.
- The pronoun tu in tu es jolie is a distant cousin to the German word 'du' and the Russian word 'ты', all tracing back to the same ancient root.
Examples in context
- Tu es jolie.You're pretty.Tatoeba #1085417 by sacredceltic, translation #1079506 by keira_n
- Je pense que tu es jolie.I think you're pretty.Tatoeba #3527406 by maydoo, translation #2789158 by Hybrid
- Tu es vraiment belle aujourd'hui.You look really beautiful today
Example conversation
Gabriel gives Manon a compliment before they leave for a party.
- ManonJe suis prête ! Est-ce que je suis correcte ?I'm ready! Do I look okay?
- GabrielOui, tu es jolie, Manon.Yes, you're pretty, Manon.
- ManonMerci, c'est très gentil.Thank you, that's very kind.
- GabrielC'est la vérité.It's the truth.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
