Cross cultural dating can be tricky. You have met a pretty Latin lady and you would like to make a good impression. You would like to compliment her on the fact that she is attractive. So, how do you say, you are pretty, in Spanish? For that matter, do you want to say you are pretty in Spanish or do you want to say something else? It is important to understand that what is a compliment in one culture may not be in another. First of all, if you do not speak Spanish, German, Russian, or Portuguese, you may use the wrong words and insult your new friend instead of complimenting her. Secondly, you may say something that is grammatically correct but inappropriate for your first date with a Latin, German, Russian, or Portuguese lady. And, of course if you are female and want to compliment your new Latin, German, Russian, or Portuguese friend, you want to say that he is handsome and not pretty. Nevertheless, saying that someone is pretty is pretty safe in most cultures, unless she is the wife of the strong man dictator who runs the country. So, how do you say you are pretty in Spanish?

Linda, Bonita, Guapa, Hermosa, or Bella

Linda can work when you want to say you are pretty in Spanish. The word does not have strong sexual connotations and is often used for pretty things, children, pets, or dresses. Bonita also works for when you want to say you are pretty in Spanish but the word is distinct from bella which means beautiful. You won’t  be considered too aggressive you say that your new friend is bonita but she may decide that you are just being polite and are not really interested in her. Guapa falls in the same category as bonita for women, pretty but not necessarily beautiful. (Guapo is, however, the word for a handsome man.) Hermosa works to say you are pretty in Spanish and tends toward saying that she is beautiful. However, it also has a sense of being healthy, as in what a healthy girl! Bella is probably the word to use to say you are pretty in Spanish when you want to compliment the woman’s beauty. Eres muy bella means you are very beautiful.  And remember that the “ll” in Spanish is a separate letter from “l” and is pronounced like “y” in most regions and like “j” in some. (A-res moo-ee bay-ya is the phonetic pronunciation of what you want to say.

Beware The Diminutive When You Say You Are Pretty In Spanish

Latin America is the land of diminutive expressions. Your boss wants you to work all night on a project that he just thought of. He mentions un trabajito, a little work, in presenting the subject. Latin men and women handle this instinctively. Beware the diminutive if you were not born into a Hispanic family.  Say you are pretty in Spanish by saying eres una bellita is not an understatement it is an insult meaning that she does not measure up to the qualifications of beauty but falls into the also ran category. If you were born North of the Rio Grande and are more familiar with football teams like the Bears than futbol teams like Real Madrid never use the diminutive!