102 fitting ways to give compliments & say beautiful in Spanish
Author: Marco Monroy
Key takeaways
- How to say beautiful in Spanish: hermoso / hermosa (her-mo-so / her-mo-sa), the most accurate word for people and things.
- Other common options include bonito/a, lindo/a, bello/a, precioso/a, and guapo/a, with tones ranging from neutral to flirty or slangy.
- Common pitfalls: do not use caliente to mean hot, always match adjective gender to the noun, and avoid qualifying compliments.
- Handy phrases and responses: Te ves hermoso/a or Eres hermosa for people, neutral workplace compliments exist, and replies include gracias, Muchísimas gracias, or Qué amable.
Spanish is a beautiful language–and so are its speakers. Read this guide to learn over a hundred ways to call someone beautiful in Spanish.
Whether you’re looking for romance or simply want to learn how to compliment your friends and coworkers, learning a few ways to say beautiful in Spanish is sure to pay off.
However, if you’ve been studying Spanish for a while, you’re probably already familiar with how diverse and interesting this beautiful language is. So, naturally, there’s not just one way to say “you are beautiful” in Spanish. Not just ten, or twenty or thirty, even. There are hundreds and hundreds of ways to call someone or something beautiful, and this blog will cover over a hundred of them!
And if you’re already in a relationship and are wondering why you’d need to learn how to call someone beautiful in Spanish, rest assured that many of these are strictly platonic. Hispanic cultures tend to be extremely warm, so it’s not uncommon to hear terms of endearment in Spanish from strictly platonic relationships.
Learning different compliments in Spanish will help you build stronger relationships with your friends, classmates, and even coworkers. That’s why we’ve included sections in this article that you can use next time you need to compliment a coworker on a job well done or next time you visit your friend’s house and want to compliment their stunning garden!
Keep reading to learn some beautiful ways to compliment your friends and loved ones in Spanish. We’ve included a context column to let you know which compliments are okay to use in neutral situations, and which are more on the flirty side! Stick around until the end to also learn some common faux pas when complimenting in Spanish–and how to avoid them!
How to say “beautiful” in Spanish
The most accurate translation of beautiful is hermoso (air-mo-so) or hermosa (air-mo-sa). Just as in English, you can use this word to describe people, objects, and generally anything you’d like.
Using the word hermoso to compliment something or someone is very common, but you need to pay close attention to how you say it. Using the wrong phrase or using the word in the wrong context could result in weird looks at best and a damaged relationship at worst. That’s why it’s important to learn numerous ways to say beautiful in Spanish so that you can compliment people in a wide variety of situations.
You can compliment people when you:
- Genuinely want to call someone beautiful.
- Want to compliment something beautiful that belongs to a friend.
- Want to praise a colleague for their beautiful work.
- Want to compliment someone’s beautiful personality.
You can compliment anyone anytime, really. You just have to make sure you use the right phrase so that it doesn’t come across as strange or insincere. So, let’s get into a handful of common situations in which you’d call someone or something beautiful in Spanish.
How to say “you are beautiful” in Spanish
If you’re trying to flirt with someone in Spanish, this section is the one for you. One of the quickest ways to show that you’re interested in someone is to simply compliment their beauty. Below, you’ll find dozens of flirty ways to call someone beautiful in Spanish.
However, keep in mind that Hispanic (and particularly Latin American) cultures are very warm, so it’s not uncommon for friends to exchange platonic compliments from time to time. Your friends may call you beautiful, or compliment you on a day when you look particularly good, and you should be prepared to return the favor as well.
Keep an eye on the context column on the table below to know which ones are okay to use with friends and which ones you should reserve for your dates!
| English | Spanish | IPA | Pronunciation | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| You look beautiful! | Te ves hermoso / hermosa | te ˈβes ɛɾˈmoso | ɛɾˈmosa | teh vess air-mo-so | Flirty or neutral depending on situation |
| You look nice | Te ves bonito / bonita | te ˈβes̬ βoˈnito | boˈnita | teh vess bow-knee-toe | Neutral |
| You look pretty | Te ves bello / bella | te ˈβes̬ ˈβeʝo | ˈbeʝa | teh vess beh-yo | Neutral |
| You look lovely | Te ves lindo / linda | te ˈβes̬ ˈlĩndo | ˈlĩnda | teh vess lean-doh | Flirty |
| You look great | Te ves genial | te ˈβes xeˈnjal | teh vess heh-knee-all | Neutral |
| You look hot | Te ves guapo / guapa | te ˈβes̬ ˈɣwapo | ˈɡwapa | teh vess goo-ah-poh | Flirty |
| You look gorgeous! | Te ves precioso / preciosa | te ˈβes pɾeˈsjoso | pɾeˈsjosa | teh vess preh-see-oh-so | Flirty |
| You look stunning | Te ves estupendo | te ˈβes ɛstuˈpɛ̃ndo | teh vess es-too-pen-doh | Neutral |
| You look splendid | Te ves espléndido / espléndida | te ˈβes ɛsˈplɛ̃ndiðo | ɛsˈplɛ̃ndiða | teh vess es-plenn-dee-doh | Neutral |
| You look marvelous | Te ves maravilloso / maravillosa | te ˈβes̬ maɾaβiˈʝoso | maɾaβiˈʝosa | teh vess ma-ra-vee-yo-so | Flirty |
| You look spectacular | Te ves espectacular | te ˈβes ɛspek̚takuˈlaɾ | teh vess ess-pec-tah-coo-lar | Flirty |
| You look radiant | Te ves radiante | te ˈβes̬ raˈðjãnte | teh vess rah-dee-an-teh | Neutral |
| You look great today | Te ves muy bien el día de hoy | te ˈβes̬ mwi ˈβjɛn ɛl ˈdia ðe ˈoi̯ | teh vess moo-ey bee-en | Neutral |
| You are beautiful, inside and out | Eres hermoso / hermosa, por dentro y por fuera | ˈɛɾes ɛɾˈmoso | ɛɾˈmosa | poɾ ˈðɛ̃ntɾo i̯ poɾ ˈfwɛɾa | eh-ress ehr-mo-so pore den-troh e pore foo-eh-rah | Flirty |
| You’re a beauty | Eres una belleza | ˈɛɾes ˈuna βeˈʝesa | eh-ress ooh-nah beh-yeh-za | Flirty |
| You’re divine | Estás divino / divina | ɛsˈtas̬ ðiˈβino | diˈβina | ess-tahs dee-vee-no | Flirty |
| You’re so handsome | Eres muy apuesto | ˈɛɾes̬ mwj aˈpwɛsto | eh-ress moo-ey ah-poo-ess-toe | Flirty |
| You are so pretty | Eres muy bonito / bonita | ˈɛɾes̬ mwi βoˈnito | boˈnita | eh-ress moo-ey bo-knee-toe | Flirty |
| You’re really good looking! | Eres muy guapo / guapa | ˈɛɾes̬ mwi ˈɣwapo | ˈɡwapa | eh-ress moo-ey goo-ah-poh | Flirty |
| You’re such a beauty | Eres toda una belleza | ˈɛɾes ˈtoða ˈuna βeˈʝesa | eh-ress toe-da oo-nah beh-yeh-za | Flirty |
| You’re very attractive | Eres muy atractivo / atractiva | ˈɛɾes̬ mwj atɾak̚ˈtiβo | atɾak̚ˈtiβa | eh-ress moo-ey ah-track-tee-voh | Flirty |
| You look really good, did you do something different today? | Te ves muy bien hoy, ¿te hiciste algo diferente? | te ˈβes̬ mwi ˈβjɛn ˈoi̯ | te i̯ˈsiste ˈalɣo ðifɛˈɾɛ̃nte ‖ | teh vess moo-ey bee-en oy, teh e-sees-teh al-go dee-feh-ren-teh | Neutral |
| How pretty! | ¡Qué bonito / bonita! | ˈke βoˈnito | boˈnita ‖ | keh boh-knee-toe | Neutral |
| How handsome! | ¡Qué guapo / guapa! | ˈke ˈɣwapo | ˈɡwapa ‖ | keh goo-ah-poh | Neutral |
| How charming! | ¡Qué simpático / simpática! | ˈke sĩmˈpatiko | sĩmˈpatika ‖ | keh seem-pah-tee-coh | Neutral |
| How sexy! | ¡Qué sexy! | ˈke ˈsɛksi ‖ | keh sexy | Flirty |
| How delightful! | ¡Qué lindo / linda! | ˈke ˈlĩndo | ˈlĩnda ‖ | keh lean-doh | Neutral |
How to say a thing is beautiful in Spanish
Knowing how to compliment things in Spanish can be helpful beyond simply helping you express yourself. Compliments are a big part of Latin American etiquette, so you should be ready to compliment people’s things.
For example, when visiting your friend’s house for the first time, you should compliment the house itself or something in the house, like the interior decor or garden. Not complimenting your friend’s house would be just as bad as insulting it!
| English | Spanish | IPA | Pronunciation | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What a beautiful lamp | Qué hermosa lámpara | ˈke ɛɾˈmosa ˈlãmpaɾa | keh air-moh-sa | Neutral |
| I love your home office | Amo tu oficina en casa | ˈamo tw ofiˈsina ɛ̃n ˈkasa | ah-moh too oh-fee-see-na en ka-sa | Neutral |
| Exquisite choice of decor | La decoración de interior es exquisita | la ðekoɾaˈsjõn de ĩ̯ntɛˈɾjoɾ ˈɛs ɛkskiˈsita | La deh-coh-rah-see-on deh een-teh-ree-ore ess ess-key-see-tah | Neutral |
| Your house is beautiful | Tu casa es hermosa | tu ˈkasa ˈɛs ɛɾˈmosa | too ka-sa ess air-moh-sa | Neutral |
| What a lovely neighborhood | Que agradable vecindario | ˈke aɣɾaˈðaβle βesĩnˈdaɾjo | keh ah-grah-da-bleh veh-seen-dah-ree-oh | Neutral |
| What a pretty garden | Qué hermoso jardín | ˈke ɛɾˈmoso xaɾˈðĩn | keh air-moh-so har-deen | Neutral |
| I love your car | Me encanta tu carro | mɛ ɛ̃nˈkãnta tu ˈkaro | meh en-can-tah too kah-ro | Neutral |
| What a cool motorcycle | Qué moto tan cool | ˈke ˈmoto ˈtãn koˈol | keh moh-toe tan cool | Neutral |
| You have a gorgeous home | Tienes una casa preciosa | ˈtjenes ˈuna ˈkasa pɾeˈsjosa | tee-eh-ness ooh-na ka-sa | Neutral |
| The view is breathtaking | La vista es impresionante | la ˈβista ˈɛs ĩmpɾesjoˈnãnte | la vees-ta ess em-preh-see-oh-nan-teh | Neutral |
| This view has left me speechless | La vista me ha dejado sin palabras | la ˈβista me ˈa ðeˈxaðo sĩm paˈlaβɾas | la vees-tah meh ah deh-ha-doh seen pa-la-bras | Neutral |
| How marvelous | Qué maravilloso | ˈke maɾaβiˈʝoso | keh mah-ra-vee-yo-so | Neutral |
| How charming | Qué encanto | ˈke ɛ̃nˈkãnto | keh en-can-toh | Neutral |
How to compliment someone on their work in Spanish
If you’re learning Spanish for work, then you need to be ready to give out some workplace-friendly compliments. Whether you want to praise your coworkers or direct reports, it’s always a good idea to let your colleagues know that you appreciate their hard work.
| English | Spanish | IPA | Pronunciation | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| You did a really great job today | Hiciste un muy buen trabajo hoy | iˈsiste ũ̯m mwi ˈβwɛ̃n tɾaˈβaxo ˈoi̯ | ee-sees-teh oon moo-ey boo-en tra-ba-ho oy | Neutral |
| You excelled at today’s presentation! | ¡Sobresaliste en la presentación de hoy! | soβɾesaˈlistɛ ɛ̃n la pɾesɛ̃ntaˈsjõn de ˈoi̯ ‖ | so-breh-sa-lees-teh en la preh-sen-tah-see-on deh oy | Neutral |
| I’m very impressed by your report | Estoy muy impresionado / impresionada por tu reporte | ɛsˈtoi̯ mwi ĩmpɾesjoˈnaðo | ĩmpɾesjoˈnaða poɾ tu reˈpoɾte | ess-toy moo-ey eem-preh-see-oh-na-doh | Neutral |
| You’re really talented | Eres muy talentoso / talentosa | ˈɛɾes̬ mwi talɛ̃nˈtoso | talɛ̃nˈtosa | eh-ress moo-ey ta-len-toh-so | Neutral |
| You’re very diligent | Eres muy diligente | ˈɛɾes̬ mwi ðiliˈxɛ̃nte | eh-ress moo-ey dee-lee-hen-teh | Neutral |
| You’re a really hard worker | Eres muy trabajador | ˈɛɾes̬ mwi tɾaβaxaˈðoɾ | eh-ress moo-ey tra-bah-ha-dore | Neutral |
| Congratulations on a job well done! | ¡Felicidades por un trabajo bien hecho! | felisiˈðaðes poɾ ũn tɾaˈβaxo ˈβjɛn ˈeʧo ‖ | feh-lee-see-da-dess pore oon tra-bah-ho bee-en eh-cho | Neutral |
| You’re a valuable team member | Eres una parte valiosa de nuestro equipo | ˈɛɾes ˈuna ˈpaɾte βaˈljosa ðe ˈnwɛstɾo eˈkipo | eh-ress oo-na par-teh va-lee-oh-sa deh noo-ess-troh eh-key-poh | Neutral |
| You’re a great leader | Eres un gran lider | ˈɛɾes ũn ˈɡɾãn liˈðɛɾ | eh-ress oon grahn lee-der | Neutral |
| You have a great work ethic | Tienes una gran ética laboral | ˈtjenes ˈuna ˈɣɾan ˈɛtika laβoˈɾal | tee-eh-ness oo-na grahn eh-tee-kah la-boh-ral | Neutral |
| Well done | Bien hecho | ˈbjɛn ˈeʧo | bee-en eh-cho | Neutral |
| Very good! | ¡Muy bien! | mwi ˈβjɛ̃n ‖ | moo-ey bee-en | Neutral |
| Congratulations | Felicidades | felisiˈðaðes | feh-lee-see-da-dess | Neutral |
| Bravo | Bravo | ˈbɾaβo | bravo | Neutral |
| You earned it | Te lo mereces | te lo mɛˈɾeses | teh lo meh-reh-sess | Neutral |
| Good job | Buen trabajo | ˈbwɛ̃n tɾaˈβaxo | boo-en tra-ba-ho | Neutral |
| You have exceeded yourself | Te has sobrepasado | te ˈas soβɾepaˈsaðo | teh ahs so-breh-pa-sa-doh | Neutral |
How to compliment someone on their appearance, clothing or things in Spanish
Complimenting your friends and family is a great way to let them know that you appreciate it. And–let’s face it–who doesn’t love receiving compliments? In fact, science says that you probably don’t compliment your friends often enough. So, why not use these beautiful compliments in Spanish as a way to both strengthen your friendships and practice your Spanish?
| English | Spanish | IPA | Pronunciation | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I like your style | Me gusta mucho tu estilo | me ˈɣusta ˈmuʧo tw ɛsˈtilo | meh goose-ta moo-cho too ess-tee-lo | Neutral |
| I love your outfit | Me encanta tu atuendo | mɛ ɛ̃nˈkãnta tw aˈtwɛ̃ndo | meh en-kahn-tah too ah-too-en-doh | Neutral |
| You have great taste | Tienes muy buen estilo | ˈtjenes̬ mwi ˈβwɛn ɛsˈtilo | tee-eh-ness moo-ey boo-en ess-tee-lo | Neutral |
| Simply stunning outfit! | Tu atuendo está ¡espectacular! | tw aˈtwɛ̃ndo ɛsˈta ɛspek̚takuˈlaɾ ‖ | too ah-too-en-do ess-tah ess-pec-ta-coo-lar | Neutral |
| Love your shoes! | ¡Amo tus zapatos! | ˈamo tus saˈpatos ‖ | ah-mo toos za-pah-toss | Neutral |
| What a beautiful watch | ¡Qué hermoso reloj! | ˈke ɛɾˈmoso reˈlox ‖ | keh air-mo-so reh-logh | Neutral |
| That color looks beautiful on you | Ese color se te ve hermoso | ˈese koˈloɾ se te ˈβe ɛɾˈmoso | ess-eh co-lore seh teh veh air-mo-so | Flirty |
| What a beautiful hairstyle | Qué peinado tan hermoso | ˈke pei̯ˈnaðo ˈtan ɛɾˈmoso | keh pay-na-do tan air-mo-so | Flirty |
| That fits you really well | ¡Eso se te ve muy bien! | ˈeso se te ˈβe mwi ˈβjɛ̃n ‖ | eh-so seh teh veh moo-ey bee-en | Flirty |
| That’s an incredible dress you’re wearing | Ese vestido que traes puesto está increíble | ˈese βɛsˈtiðo ˈke ˈtɾaes ˈpwɛsto ɛsˈta ĩ̯nkɾeˈiβle | eh-seh vess-tee-doh keh trah-ess poo-ess-toh ess-ta een-creh-e-bleh | Depends on context |
| You look so fancy | Te ves muy elegante | te ˈβes̬ mwj eleˈɣãnte | teh vess moo-ey eh-leh-gan-teh | Neutral |
| You’re always dressed so trendy | Siempre estás vestido / vestida muy a la moda | ˈsjɛ̃mpɾɛ ɛsˈtas̬ βɛsˈtiðo | bɛsˈtiða mwj a la ˈmoða | see-em-preh ess-tas vess-tee-doh moo-ey ah la mo-da | Depends on context |
| What a beautiful purse, where did you get it? | Qué hermosa bolsa, ¿dónde la compraste? | ˈke ɛɾˈmosa ˈβolsa | ˈdõnde la kõmˈpɾaste ‖ | keh air-mo-sa boll-sah don-deh la kom-prass-teh | Neutral |
How to call someone beautiful in Spanish slang
If you’re not exactly looking for a fairytale romance, then you might want to try using some Spanish slang when calling someone beautiful. Lucky for you, Spanish has some incredible slang that will help you effortlessly compliment someone you’re trying to impress.
| English | Spanish | IPA | Pronunciation | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| You’re very hot | Estás bien bueno / buena | ɛsˈtas̬ ˈβjɛ̃m ˈbweno | ˈbwena | ess-tas bee-en boo-eh-no | Flirty, slightly vulgar |
| You’re very hot | Estás muy rico / rica | ɛsˈtas̬ mwi ˈriko | ˈrika | ess-tas moo-ey ree-co | Flirty, slightly vulgar |
| You’re delicious | Estás delicioso / deliciosa | ɛsˈtas̬ ðeliˈsjoso | deliˈsjosa | ess-tas deh-lee-see-oh-so | Flirty, slightly vulgar |
| You’re very cute | Estás muy mono / mona | ɛsˈtas̬ mwi ˈmono | ˈmona | ess-tas moo-ey mo-no | Flirty |
| You look very hot | Te ves muy macizo / maciza | te ˈβes̬ mwi maˈsiso | maˈsisa | te ves moo-ey ma-see-so | Flirty, slightly vulgar |
| You’re very sexy | Estás muy sexy | ɛsˈtas̬ mwi ˈsɛksi | ess-tas moo-ey sexy | Flirty, slightly vulgar |
| You’re like a cheese | Estás como un queso | ɛsˈtas ˈkomo ũ̯n ˈkeso | ess-tas co-mo oon keh-so | Flirty, slightly vulgar |
| You’re ready to eat | Estás lista para comer | ɛsˈtas̬ ˈlista ˈpaɾa koˈmɛɾ | ess-tas lees-ta pa-ra coh-mer | Flirty, slightly vulgar |
How to compliment someone on their personality or lifestyle in Spanish
Complimenting people isn’t all about the superficial or material. Sometimes, you really just want to compliment the beautiful energy that someone radiates or praise them for their behavior. If you want to go deeper and compliment the personal qualities of someone who truly inspires you, check out the table below.
| English | Spanish | IPA | Pronunciation | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| You are so brave! | ¡Eres muy valiente! | ˈɛɾes̬ mwi βaˈljɛ̃nte ‖ | eh-ress moo-ey vah-lee-en-teh | Neutral |
| You are very pleasant | Eres muy agradable | ˈɛɾes̬ mwj aɣɾaˈðaβle | eh-ress moo-ey ah-gra-da-bleh | Neutral |
| You’re my hero | Eres mi héroe / heroína | ˈɛɾes̬ mj ˈɛɾoe | ɛɾoˈina | eh-ress me eh-ro-eh | Flirty |
| You’re very impressive | Eres muy impresionante | ˈɛɾes̬ mwi ĩmpɾesjoˈnãnte | eh-ress moo-ey em-preh-see-oh-nan-teh | Flirty |
| You’re an inspiration | Eres una inspiración | ˈɛɾes ˈuna ĩ̯nspiɾaˈsjõn | eh-ress oo-na in-spee-rah-see-on | Flirty |
| You’re very thoughtful | Eres muy considerado / considerada | ˈɛɾes̬ mwi kõnsiðɛˈɾaðo | kõnsiðɛˈɾaða | eh-ress moo-ey con-see-deh-ra-doh | Neutral |
| You’re a great role model | Eres un gran ejemplo a seguir | ˈɛɾes ũn ˈɡɾan eˈxɛ̃mplo a seˈɣiɾ | eh-ress oon grahn eh-hem-plo ah seh-geer | Neutral |
| You’re a good person | Eres una buena persona | ˈɛɾes ˈuna ˈβwena pɛɾˈsona | eh-ress oo-na boo-eh-nah pear-so-na | Neutral |
| You’re very kind | Eres muy amable | ˈɛɾes̬ mwj aˈmaβle | eh-ress moo-ey ah-ma-bleh | Neutral |
| You’re very generous | Eres muy generoso / generosa | ˈɛɾes̬ mwi xenɛˈɾoso | xenɛˈɾosa | eh-ress moo-ey heh-neh-ro-so | Neutral |
| You’re very creative | Eres muy creativo / creativa | ˈɛɾes̬ mwi kɾeaˈtiβo | kɾeaˈtiβa | eh-ress moo-ey creh-ah-tee-vo | Neutral |
| You’re incredible | Eres increíble | ˈɛɾes ĩnkɾeˈiβle | eh-ress in-kreh-e-bleh | Neutral |
| You’re a free spirit | Eres un alma libre | ˈɛɾes un ˈalma ˈliβɾe | eh-ress oon al-ma lee-breh | Neutral |
| You rock | Eres lo máximo | ˈɛɾes̬ lo ˈmaksimo | eh-ress lo max-e-mo | Flirty |
| You’re very smart | Eres muy inteligente | ˈɛɾes̬ mwi ĩnteliˈxɛ̃nte | eh-ress moo-ey in-teh-lee-hen-teh | Neutral |
| You’re so funny | Eres muy chistoso | ˈɛɾes̬ mwi ʧisˈtoso | eh-ress moo-y cheese-toe-so | Neutral |
| You’re cool | Eres genial | ˈɛɾes xeˈnjal | eh-ress heh-knee-al | Flirty |
| You’ve got a great attitude | Tienes una gran actitud | ˈtjenes ˈuna ˈɣɾan ak̚tiˈtuð | tee-eh-ness oo-na grahn ac-tee-tood | Neutral |
| You have a beautiful soul | Tienes un alma muy bella | ˈtjenes un ˈalma mwi ˈβeʝa | tee-eh-ness oon al-ma moo-ey beh-ya | Neutral |
| You’ve got a great sense of humor | Tienes un gran sentido del humor | ˈtjenes ũn ˈɡɾãn sɛ̃nˈtiðo ðɛl uˈmoɾ | tee-eh-ness oon grahn sen-tee-doh del oo-more | Neutral |
| You’re so much fun | Eres muy divertido / divertida | ˈɛɾes̬ mwi ðiβɛɾˈtiðo | diβɛɾˈtiða | eh-ress moo-ey dee-ver-tee-doh | Flirty |
| Your laugh is infectious | Tu risa es contagiosa | tu ˈrisa ˈɛs kõntaˈxjosa | too ree-sa es con-ta-he-oh-sa | Neutral |
| Your smile is beautiful | Tu sonrisa es hermosa | tu sõnˈrisa ˈɛs ɛɾˈmosa | too son-ree-sa es air-mo-sa | Flirty |
| You should be proud of yourself | Deberías estar orgulloso / orgullosa de ti mismo / misma | deβɛˈɾias ɛsˈtaɾ oɾɣuˈʝoso | oɾɣuˈʝosa ðe ˈti ˈmis̬mo | ˈmis̬ma | deh-beh-ree-as ess-tar or-goo-yo-so deh tee mees-mo | Neutral |
How to respond to compliments in Spanish
As you start complimenting people in Spanish, we guarantee that you’ll start receiving compliments back. And when you do, you need to be prepared on how to respond! Here are a few handy ways to respond and say thank you in Spanish after receiving a compliment.
| English | Spanish | IPA | Pronunciation | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| That’s very kind of you, thanks | Qué amable, gracias | ˈke aˈmaβle | ˈɡɾasjas | keh ah-ma-bleh grah-see-as | Neutral |
| Thank you so much | Muchísimas gracias | muˈʧisimas̬ ˈɣɾasjas | moo-chee-see-mas grah-see-as | Neutral |
| Likewise! | ¡Igualmente! | iɣwalˈmɛ̃nte ‖ | e-goo-al-men-teh | Depends on context |
| That means a lot, thank you so much | Eso significa mucho, mil gracias | ˈeso siɣniˈfika ˈmuʧo | ˈmil ˈɣɾasjas | eh-so sig-knee-fee-cah moo-cho meel grah-see-as | Neutral |
| I really appreciate it | En verdad lo aprecio | ɛ̃m bɛɾˈðað lo aˈpɾesjo | en ver-dad loh ah-preh-see-oh | Neutral |
Common faux pas when complimenting in Spanish
Translating “hot” literally
This is something that some Americans tend to do when trying to say someone is “hot” in Spanish. The literal translation of hot is caliente (kah-lee-en-teh), but saying that someone is caliente in Spanish is not the same as saying someone is hot!
In Spanish, being caliente means being sexually aroused. So, you can only imagine the strange looks you’d get from someone if you called them caliente when you meant to call them hot!
Using the wrong adjective gender
Even if you’re just taking beginner Spanish lessons, you’re probably already familiar with how gendered adjectives need to agree with the noun they are modifying. That is, you’d say a man is hermoso and a woman is hermosa.
Even if you already know this in theory, being able to instantly recall the correct gender of the adjective will take some practice. Rest assured, nobody will likely get offended if you use the incorrect gender, although they may point it out and laugh about it. Don’t be discouraged! Just keep practicing and, in time, you’ll be able to dish out compliments like a pro.
Qualifying your compliments
Although this may not be inappropriate in other cultures, you should never qualify your compliments in Spanish. That is, you should never give someone a compliment but then add strict criteria under which the compliment is true. For example, you should never say any of the following:
| English | Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| You’re very beautiful for your age | Eres muy hermosa para tu edad | ˈɛɾes̬ mwj ɛɾˈmosa ˈpaɾa tw eˈðað |
| Your English is very good for a non-native | Hablas inglés muy bien para no ser tu lengua materna | ˈaβlas ĩnˈɡles̬ mwi ˈβjɛ̃m ˈpaɾa ˈno ˈsɛɾ tu ˈlɛ̃nɡwa maˈtɛɾna |
| You paint beautifully for a high school student | Pintas hermoso para apenas ser estudiante de preparatoria | ˈpĩntas ɛɾˈmoso ˈpaɾa aˈpenas ˈsɛɾ ɛstuˈðjãnte ðe pɾepaɾaˈtoɾja |
| Your singing is beautiful for an untrained singer | Cantas hermoso para no haber tomado clases | ˈkãntas ɛɾˈmoso ˈpaɾa ˈno aˈβɛɾ toˈmaðo ˈklases |
| You cook very well for someone who makes very simple dishes | Cocinas muy rico para alguien que hace platillos tan simples | koˈsinas̬ mwi ˈriko ˈpaɾa ˈalɣjɛ̃n ˈke ˈase plaˈtiʝos ˈtãn ˈsĩmples |
Beautiful job getting through the entire article!
If you’ve made it through the end, ¡buen trabajo! We understand that getting through 100+ different ways to compliment someone in Spanish takes a lot of work, but this wide range of diversity is precisely what will keep things interesting!
Now that you know dozens of ways to say beautiful in Spanish, it’s your turn to go out into the world and start practicing! After all, who wouldn’t like being called beautiful? Just keep in mind the context columns above so that you don’t use a compliment inappropriately!
If you enjoyed this blog, make sure to check out our Spanish blog where we regularly publish tons of free study materials to push your Spanish studies even further!
