In the realm of Spanish as a Second Language, matching Spanish spelling rules and enriching your vocabulary are crucial. If you’re seeking Spanish words to compliment a beautiful woman or a pretty girl charmingly, “Bonita”, “Linda”, and “Hermosa” fit the bill. But remember these common words, while sharing a common goal, adhere to different usage rules, and even apply them when discussing beautiful objects.
Understanding Spanish spelling rules helps differentiate their application based on your intended message. Whether it’s for a bit formal situation, expressing physical attractiveness, or even crafting Spanish Pick-Up Lines, knowing the right word to use makes all the difference. In the forthcoming sections, we will elucidate the variations between these words and the scenarios suited for each, ensuring you shine in any Spanish-speaking country. Not to mention, we will explore the correct use of ‘Ser vs. Estar’ with these adjectives. Stay tuned as we dive deeper into the pool of pretty girls, beautiful women, and the apt words to describe them.
What Is The Difference Between “Bonita”, “Linda” And “Hermosa” In Spanish?
These are adjectives that express different degrees of beauty. We will leave you with a detailed explanation of each and give you examples and sentence structures that you can use to apply these words in your conversations. At the end, you will be able to choose the most appropriate word to describe an object or compliment a woman.
QUICK NOTE…
To talk about male people or things, you should use bonito, lindo, or hermoso. When used to describe males, remember to change the gender.
How and When to Use “Linda” in Spanish
“Linda” means “sweet”, “nice” or “cute” and refers to attractiveness in a nice way. It can be said to be the first level of beauty levels, since unlike “Bonita” and “Hermosa”, “Linda” refers to attractiveness in a friendly way. Because of this, it may not be as strong as other adjectives. It is mostly used between friends, although it can also be used between couples. But it is the most common way to tell you that you are beautiful.
In addition, when talking about a person, “Linda” can also be used to describe their personality. Here are some common verbs you can use with “Linda”:
[Conjugated verb] + (adverb) + Linda
Ser – To be
Ella fue muy linda conmigo.
She was very sweet to me.
La chica de mi clase es muy linda.
The girl in my class is very pretty.
Estar – To be
Esa blusa está linda.
That blouse looks nice.
Tu guitarra está bastante linda y original.
Your guitar is quite nice and original.
Verse – To look
¡Te ves muy linda!
You look very cute!
Mis hermanas se ven muy lindas hoy.
My sisters look very cute today.
Another common way to use ‘linda’ is in expressions with ¡qué…!
Gracias por este regalo, ¡qué linda!
Thanks for this present, how sweet!
Qué linda está tu blusa.
How pretty is your blouse?
How and When to Use “Bonita” in Spanish
“Pretty” is also used to describe the physical beauty of a woman or object. It means “pretty,” “charming,” or “pleasing.” Unlike “Linda”, “Bonita” does not describe personality. “Bonita” is not as strong as “Hermosa”, but it certainly beats “Linda” and is used to speak of attractiveness delicately.
Like “Linda” it can also be used with different verbs, with the following formula:
[Conjugated verb] + (adverb) + bonita
Ser – To be
Este hotel es muy bonito
This hotel is very nice
La novia de mi hermano es muy bonita.
My brother’s girlfriend is very pretty.
Estar – To be
La falda que tienes está muy bonita.
The skirt you have is very pretty.
¡Tu gata está muy bonita con ese lazo!
Your cat is so cute with that bow!
Verse – To look
Te veías muy bonita en esta foto.
You looked very pretty in this picture.
Tu tía se ve muy bonita con su nueva pareja.
Your aunt looks very pretty with her new partner.
As well as ‘Linda’, you can also use expressions composed with ¡qué…!
¡Qué + bonita + (conjugated verb)!
¡Qué bonita estas hoy!
How pretty you look today!
¡Qué bonita está tu pulsera!
How beautiful your bracelet is!
How and When to Use “Hermosa” in Spanish
When it comes to describing an object or a woman’s beauty, ‘Hermosa’ is one of the strongest Spanish adjectives. It is the direct equivalent of ‘beautiful’ and ‘gorgeous’. Since it is very strong, this word may not be as common as ‘Bonita’ or ‘Linda’.
[Conjugated verb] + Hermosa
Ser – To be
Mi bebé es muy hermosa y divertida.
My baby is very beautiful and funny.
Mi mamá es la más hermosa de todas.
My mom is the most beautiful of all.
Estar – To be
¡Están hermosas tus uñas!
Your nails look beautiful!
¡Estas hermosa hoy!
You look beautiful today!
Verse – To look
Te ves hermosa con ese maquillaje.
You look beautiful with that makeup.
Mi hermana se ve hermosa con su nuevo vestido.
My sister looks beautiful in her new dress.
Also, as well as “Linda” and “Bonita”, you can use expressions composed with ¡qué…!
¡Qué hermosa te queda esa falda!
How beautiful that skirt looks on you!
¡Qué hermosas están tus pestañas!
How beautiful are your eyelashes!
EXTRA: How and When to Use “Guapa” in Spanish
There is one more word in this family: “Guapa”. Unlike “Linda” “Bonita” and “Hermosa”, “Guapa” is used only and only to describe a woman’s physique (not for objects as well).
“Guapa” is used only when you want to tell a woman that she looks very beautiful, especially when she attracts attention (because of her makeup, wardrobe, etc). It is more used by Spaniards. In Latin America, this word is hardly used. Can be translated as “good-looking girl”, “beautiful” or “attractive”.
Used in the same way as “Hermosa”:
[Conjugated verb] + guapa
Ser – To be
La chica nueva de mi clase es muy guapa.
The new girl in my class is very attractive.
Mi novia es guapa.
My girlfriend is a good-looking girl.
Estar – To be
¡Estas más guapa de lo normal!
You’re even better looking than usual!
Mira a mi mamá, siempre ha sido guapa.
Look at my mom, she’s always been a good-looking girl.
Verse – To look
Te ves guapa con ese vestido.
You look beautiful in that dress
Ese maquillaje hace que te veas muy guapa.
That makeup makes you look very attractive.
TIP…
If you want to exaggerate these expressions a bit, you can use: “lindísima”, “hermosísima” y “guapísima”. For “Bonita” there is no such thing as “bonitísima.” On the contrary, you could use “bellísima” which is formed from “Bella” which means the same as “Bonita.”
Other Ways To Say “Beautiful” In Spanish
“Linda”, “Bonita”, “Hermosa” and “Guapa” are the most common ways to express a woman’s beauty, but there are too many different ways to do it. We’ll leave you with a list in order of degree of beauty – the last one is the strongest!
Maja
It is used mainly by the Spanish. It is used to refer to a woman who is liked because of her beauty, sympathy, and good manners. That is to say, it is not only used to talk about physical beauty but also about qualities that make her a very friendly person.
La chica nueva de mi clase es muy maja.
The new girl in my class is very nice.
Mona
It is also used mainly by Spaniards. It literally translates the animal “mono” but is actually used to talk about a girl who looks pretty, and also about eye-catching objects.
Esa blusa te queda muy mona.
That blouse looks very cute on you.
Agraciada
It is rarely used as it is a rather formal word. It is used to describe a girl’s pleasant physique.
La señora que compró el vestido es muy agraciada.
The lady who bought the dress is very graceful.
Bella
It has almost the same meaning as Bonita. It’s a little stronger (you could say it’s somewhere between “pretty” and “beautiful.”) And it’s used in the same way.
Tu cabello así te hace lucir muy bella.
Your hair like this makes you look very beautiful.
Encantadora
It is used to describe both physique and personality.
Maria tiene una personalidad encantadora.
Maria has a charming personality.
Atractiva
Used specifically to describe a woman who is striking. Its literal translation is “attractive”.
La chica que está en la barra es muy atractiva, debería pedirle su número.
The girl at the bar is very attractive, you should ask her for her number.
Preciosa
It has the same meaning as “beautiful”. You could say they are on the same level, and have the same usage.
Te ves preciosa con ese vestido.
You look gorgeous in that dress.
Radiante / Reluciente
Both words have the same meaning. The literal meaning is to talk about something that shines very brightly, for example, “Today the sun is radiant.” But it is also used to praise a girl’s physique.
Ese vestido te hace ver radiante.
That dress makes you look radiant.
Deslumbrante
The literal meaning is used to describe something that shines so bright that it doesn’t allow you to open your eyes wide, i.e. “it dazzles you”. It is used on special occasions when the girl is getting dressed up, for example for an event.
Dios, con ese maquillaje y vestido, ¡estas deslumbrante!
God, with that makeup and dress, you look dazzling!
Ready to Speak as a Native Spanish Speaker?
Having delved into the nuances of ‘Linda’, ‘Bonita’, and ‘Hermosa’ in this article, we’ve illuminated the varying degrees of beauty encapsulated by each Spanish word. Your newfound vocabulary, rich with adjectives beyond these three, allows you to better describe things like a beautiful view, sweet moments, or even beautiful people in a Spanish-speaking country. Sign up for a free 1:1 class or a 7-day trial of group classes at SpanishVIP and start complimenting that special girl or that pretty girl in your life, or express your admiration for your mom, using phrases like ‘te ves hermosa’.
Immersing in the Spanish language with SpanishVIP is more than learning new words; it’s understanding the beauty that lies within them. As a beautiful language, Spanish is best learned from native Spanish speakers, offering you a deeper understanding of phrases, contexts, and connotations. Whether you’re interacting with a beautiful woman or simply want to appreciate the beauty around you, our native teachers will guide you, answering your queries in real-time. So why wait? Discover why our methodology will empower you to speak Spanish like a native!
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