ты красивая
ty krasivaya
The English phrase "you're pretty" is translated into Russian as ты красивая (ty krasivaya).
This phrase is used as a compliment to tell a woman or girl that she is physically attractive.
Which one should you use?
You can intensify the compliment by saying Ты очень красивая to mean "You are very beautiful". Alternatively, you might use phrases like У вас такая прекрасная внешность or У тебя такая прекрасная внешность to mean "You have such a beautiful appearance".
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase ты красивая uses the feminine adjective ending –ая, meaning it can only be used when addressing a woman or girl. If you wish to say "you are handsome" to a man, you must use the masculine form ты красивый.
How do you pronounce it?
ty krasivaya
Did you know?
- The word красивая comes from the root крас, which in Old Russian meant 'red'. In ancient Slavic culture, red was the color of beauty and celebration, leading to the word for 'red' becoming the word for 'beautiful'.
- A common social nuance in Russia is that direct compliments on beauty can be met with modesty. It is culturally common for the recipient to disagree or deflect the compliment rather than simply saying 'thank you'.
- The pronoun ты is a cognate of the English word 'thee', an archaic form of 'you'. Both words trace back to the same Proto-Indo-European root for the second person singular.
Examples in context
- Если ты красивая, но одинокая, то ты не красивая.If you're pretty, but single, then you're not pretty.This sentence shows how the phrase ты красивая is used in a conditional context.Tatoeba #5455684 by odexed, translation #5499370 by mailohilohi
- Я знаю, что ты красивая.Ya znayu, chto ty krasivaya.I know that you're pretty.
- Ты красивая в этом платье.Ty krasivaya v etom plat'ye.You're pretty in this dress.
Example conversation
Sergei is giving a compliment to Olga on a date.
- Сергей SergeyОльга, ты красивая сегодня.Ol'ga, ty krasivaya segodnya.Olga, you're pretty today.
- Ольга OlgaСпасибо, Сергей!Spasibo, Sergey!Thank you, Sergei!
- Сергей SergeyТебе очень идет этот цвет.Tebe ochen' idet etot tsvet.This color suits you very well.
- Ольга OlgaМне очень приятно.Mne ochen' priyatno.I'm very flattered.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ты, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
