jesteś ładna
In Polish, "you're pretty" is jesteś ładna.
This phrase is used as a compliment to tell a woman or a girl that she is physically attractive.
Which one should you use?
While jesteś ładna means "you are pretty," you can use the stronger compliment jesteś piękna to say "you are beautiful." Additionally, if you are telling a man that he is handsome or pretty, you should use the masculine form jesteś ładny.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form jesteś ładna is the feminine form and can only be used when addressing a woman or girl. To address a man, you must change the adjective to the masculine form ładny.
Did you know?
- The word urocza for 'charming' comes from urok, which can also mean a 'hex' or a 'curse'. It suggests a beauty that has cast a spell over the observer.
- The word ładna shares a root with ład, which means 'order' or 'harmony'. In Polish, being pretty is etymologically linked to the idea of being well-ordered and balanced.
- If you want to describe a woman as 'stunning' or 'gorgeous', Polish speakers often use przepiękna, which adds the prefix prze- to 'beautiful' to indicate an extreme degree.
Examples in context
- Jesteś bardzo piękna. Twoja uroda jest niesamowita!You are very beautiful. Your beauty is incredible!
- Jesteś nie tylko piękna, ale również bardzo inteligentna.You are not only beautiful but also very intelligent.
- Zawsze jesteś ładna, nawet bez makijażu.You are always pretty, even without makeup.
Example conversation
Tomasz and Agnieszka are on a first date.
- TomaszWyglądasz dzisiaj świetnie, jesteś ładna.You look great today, you're pretty.
- AgnieszkaDziękuję, jesteś bardzo miły.Thank you, you are very kind.
- TomaszMówię tylko prawdę, Agnieszko.I'm just telling the truth, Agnieszka.
- AgnieszkaTo bardzo miłe z twojej strony.That is very sweet of you.
