Beau (or its feminine form, belle) is the most common way to say "beautiful" in French. But there are many other delightful options to express admiration and charm.

As you learn French, you'll undoubtedly encounter countless moments where you want to describe something or someone as lovely, gorgeous, or simply beautiful. Knowing a variety of terms will enrich your vocabulary and make your conversations much more nuanced and elegant.

Let’s explore 9 wonderful ways to say "beautiful" (and, sometimes, even more than "beautiful") in French, helping you express yourself with grace and precision!

The standard 'beautiful' – beau/belle

The standard “beautiful” (and sometimes “handsome” or “fine”) – beau/belle

Beau/belle is the most common and versatile adjective in French for describing something or someone as 'beautiful' or 'handsome'.

Like many French adjectives, beau (beautiful/handsome) must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. You'll encounter it in these forms: * beau - masculine singular (e.g., un beau jardin - a beautiful garden) * belle - feminine singular (e.g., une belle fleur - a beautiful flower) * beaux - masculine plural (e.g., de beaux arbres - beautiful trees) * belles - feminine plural (e.g., de belles maisons - beautiful houses)

Beau/belle can be used to describe people, objects, places, and even abstract concepts. It's suitable for most formal and informal contexts, making it your primary choice for 'beautiful' in French.

While beau is the standard masculine singular form, there's a special form, bel, which is used in very specific circumstances.

The form bel is used exclusively before a masculine singular noun that starts with a vowel or a silent 'h'. This is done for euphony, to avoid the awkward clash of two vowel sounds. * un bel homme (a handsome man) - instead of un beau homme * un bel arbre (a beautiful tree) - instead of un beau arbre

As an adjective of beauty, beau/belle typically precedes the noun it modifies. This is a common characteristic of many short and common French adjectives.

While beau/belle primarily means 'beautiful' or 'handsome', its meaning can extend. For instance, une belle journée means 'a beautiful day' or 'a fine day', and un beau roman means 'a great novel' or 'a good novel'.

You'll often hear beau/belle in common expressions: * faire beau - to be good weather (Il fait beau - The weather is good) * avoir beau faire quelque chose - to do something in vain (J'ai beau chercher, je ne trouve pas - No matter how much I search, I can't find it)

Mastering beau/belle and its variations (beau, belle, beaux, belles, bel) is crucial for describing beauty and quality in French. Always remember to make it agree in gender and number with the noun, and use bel before masculine singular nouns starting with a vowel or silent 'h'.

💡 * C'est une belle voiture. (It's a beautiful car.)

Il a de beaux yeux. (He has beautiful eyes.)

J'ai vu un bel oiseau ce matin. (I saw a beautiful bird this morning.)

Elle est très belle. (She is very beautiful.)

Nous avons passé une belle journée à la plage. (We had a beautiful/fine day at the beach.)

The 'pretty' or 'lovely' – joli/jolie

The “pretty” or “lovely” – joli/jolie

In French, the adjective joli (masculine) and jolie (feminine) are commonly used to describe something as 'pretty' or 'lovely.' It's a versatile word that can apply to people, objects, and even situations.

Like most French adjectives, joli must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. You'll use joli for masculine singular nouns (e.g., un joli jardin) and jolie for feminine singular nouns (e.g., une jolie fleur). For plurals, it becomes jolis and jolies respectively.

While often translated as 'pretty,' joli/jolie carries a slightly softer, more delicate connotation than beau/belle ('beautiful'). Beau suggests striking beauty or grandeur, whereas joli implies a pleasant, charming, or appealing quality, often on a smaller scale.

Unlike many French adjectives that typically follow the noun, joli is one of the common adjectives that generally precedes the noun it modifies. This makes phrases like une jolie robe (a pretty dress) or un joli garçon (a pretty boy) very natural and common.

You'll hear joli/jolie frequently in descriptions of children, animals, clothes, flowers, or small pleasant objects. It can also describe a 'nice' or 'sweet' gesture or situation, like un joli cadeau (a nice gift) or une jolie histoire (a lovely story).

A related idiomatic expression is faire le joli (for a male) or faire la jolie (for a female), which means 'to play pretty' or 'to show off,' often in a slightly coquettish or attention-seeking way.

💡 * C'est une jolie fleur dans le jardin. (It's a pretty flower in the garden.)

Elle a acheté une jolie robe pour la fête. (She bought a pretty dress for the party.)

Quel joli sourire tu as ! (What a lovely smile you have!)

Mon petit-fils est un très joli bébé. (My grandson is a very pretty baby.)

Il a fait un joli geste en m'offrant son aide. (He made a nice gesture by offering me his help.)

The 'magnificent' or 'gorgeous' – magnifique

Magnifique is a versatile French adjective that translates to 'magnificent,' 'gorgeous,' 'splendid,' or 'wonderful' in English. It's used to express strong admiration or beauty.

One of the great things about magnifique for learners is that it's an invariable adjective. This means it doesn't change its form to agree with the gender or number of the noun it modifies.

You can use magnifique to describe anything from a breathtaking landscape (un paysage magnifique) to a stunning piece of art (une œuvre magnifique) or even a delicious meal (un repas magnifique).

When describing a person, magnifique means 'gorgeous' or 'stunning.' It can be used for both masculine and feminine subjects without changing its spelling, e.g., il est magnifique (he is gorgeous) or elle est magnifique (she is gorgeous).

Like most French adjectives, magnifique typically follows the noun it describes. For example, une robe magnifique (a magnificent dress) or des fleurs magnifiques (magnificent flowers). While less common, it can sometimes precede the noun for emphasis.

Magnifique expresses a high degree of admiration or beauty, making it stronger than adjectives like beau/belle (beautiful) or joli(e) (pretty). It implies something truly exceptional and impressive.

💡 * C'est une vue magnifique! (It's a magnificent view!)

Elle a une robe magnifique. (She has a gorgeous dress.)

Le concert était absolument magnifique. (The concert was absolutely magnificent.)

Tu es magnifique ce soir. (You are gorgeous tonight.)

J'ai passé des vacances magnifiques en Corse. (I had a magnificent holiday in Corsica.)

The 'superb' or 'stunning' – superbe

The French adjective superbe translates to "superb," "stunning," "magnificent," or "gorgeous" in English. It's used to describe something of exceptional quality, beauty, or impressiveness.

As a descriptive adjective, superbe agrees in number with the noun it modifies. Since it already ends in '-e' in the masculine singular form, its feminine singular form remains the same. For plural, an '-s' is added.

Superbe conveys a strong sense of admiration and is generally reserved for things that are truly outstanding. It's more emphatic than simply beau (beautiful) or joli (pretty), indicating a higher degree of excellence.

Like many French adjectives, superbe usually follows the noun it describes. It's often used to commend art, landscapes, performances, architecture, or experiences.

💡 * Ce tableau est superbe. (This painting is superb.)

Elle a une robe superbe. (She has a stunning dress.)

Nous avons passé une soirée superbe. (We had a superb evening.)

Les vues de la montagne étaient superbes. (The views of the mountain were superb.)

Ils ont des voitures superbes. (They have superb cars.)

The 'splendid' or 'brilliant' – splendide

The 'splendid' or 'brilliant' – splendide

Splendide is a versatile French adjective used to describe something as 'splendid,' 'brilliant,' 'magnificent,' or 'gorgeous.'

One of the most convenient aspects of splendide is that it's invariable. This means it doesn't change its form to agree in gender (masculine/feminine) or number (singular/plural) with the noun it modifies.

You can use splendide to express strong admiration or positive evaluation for a wide range of things, from a beautiful view to an excellent performance or a fantastic idea.

It's a wonderful word for conveying genuine enthusiasm and high praise, making your descriptions more vivid and impactful.

Incorporate splendide into your vocabulary to effortlessly elevate your French descriptions and express strong positive feelings.

💡 * C'est une idée splendide ! (That's a splendid idea!)

Le spectacle était absolument splendide. (The show was absolutely brilliant.)

Quelle vue splendide depuis la montagne ! (What a magnificent view from the mountain!)

Elle a fait un travail splendide sur ce projet. (She did a brilliant job on this project.)

Nous avons passé des vacances splendides en Italie. (We had splendid holidays in Italy.)

The 'charming' or 'delightful' – charmant/charmante

The French adjective charmant (masculine singular) or charmante (feminine singular) directly translates to 'charming,' 'delightful,' 'lovely,' or 'appealing' in English. It's a versatile word used to describe people, places, or things that possess an attractive or pleasing quality.

As an adjective, charmant/charmante must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. So, you'll use charmant for masculine singular nouns (e.g., un homme charmant), charmante for feminine singular nouns (e.g., une femme charmante), charmants for masculine plural nouns, and charmantes for feminine plural nouns.

When describing a person, charmant/charmante signifies that they are pleasant, agreeable, attractive, or have a captivating personality. It suggests a certain grace, politeness, and appeal. For instance, Il est très charmant means 'He is very charming.'

Beyond people, you can also use charmant/charmante to describe places, events, or objects that are delightful or lovely. A beautiful view might be un paysage charmant, or a pleasant evening could be une soirée charmante. It conveys a sense of pleasantness and appeal.

Charmant/charmante always carries a positive connotation, implying something that brings joy, pleasure, or admiration. It's a widely used and well-understood adjective in everyday French, suitable for both formal and informal contexts.

💡 * Elle est vraiment charmante avec son sourire. (She is really charming with her smile.)

Nous avons passé une soirée charmante au restaurant. (We had a delightful evening at the restaurant.)

C'est un petit village très charmant. (It's a very charming little village.)

Ses manières sont toujours charmantes. (His manners are always delightful.)

The 'ravishing' or 'captivating' – ravissant/ravissante

The adjective ravissant (masculine) and ravissante (feminine) describes something or someone as ravishing, captivating, charming, or delightful. It conveys a strong sense of pleasure or enchantment, often used for beauty, charm, or a very pleasing appearance/quality.

As an adjective, ravissant/ravissante must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. Use ravissant for masculine singular nouns and ravissante for feminine singular nouns. For plural forms, add an 's': ravissants (masculine plural) and ravissantes (feminine plural).

💡 * Elle était ravissante dans sa robe de soirée. (She was ravishing in her evening gown.)

Quel spectacle ravissant ! (What a captivating sight!)

C'est une enfant ravissante. (She is a delightful child.)

Ses manières étaient ravissantes. (His manners were charming/delightful.)

Il a un sourire ravissant. (He has a charming smile.)

The 'radiant' or 'dazzling' – éclatant/éclatante

As an adjective, éclatant (masculine) and éclatante (feminine) mean 'radiant,' 'dazzling,' 'brilliant,' or 'resplendent.' It is derived from the verb éclater, meaning 'to burst' or 'to shine brightly.'

This adjective is commonly used to describe intense light, vibrant colors, striking beauty, or even a resounding success or a loud, clear sound. It conveys a strong sense of vividness and brilliance.

Remember that, as an adjective, éclatant/éclatante must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. For example, des couleurs éclatantes (dazzling colors).

💡 * Elle portait une robe d'un rouge éclatant. (She was wearing a dress of a dazzling red.)

Son sourire éclatant illuminait toute la pièce. (Her radiant smile lit up the whole room.)

Ce fut un succès éclatant pour la nouvelle entreprise. (It was a resounding success for the new company.)

La lumière du phare était éclatante dans la nuit. (The lighthouse's light was dazzling in the night.)

The 'sublime' or 'exquisite' – sublime

When you want to express that something is truly sublime, exquisite, magnificent, or even divine in French, the word you're looking for is sublime.

As an adjective, sublime is quite straightforward. It is invariable, meaning it doesn't change its form to agree in gender or number with the noun it modifies. So, it's always 'sublime,' whether referring to a masculine or feminine, singular or plural noun.

Sublime can be used to describe a wide array of things. From a breathtaking landscape (un paysage sublime) to a masterful piece of art (une œuvre d'art sublime), a delicious meal (un repas sublime), or an unforgettable experience (une expérience sublime), it conveys a sense of ultimate beauty, quality, or emotional impact.

More than just 'beautiful' or 'good,' sublime carries a strong connotation of awe, perfection, and elevated quality. It's a powerful descriptor, often used to express profound admiration and a sense of being deeply impressed or moved.

💡 *Ce gâteau au chocolat est absolument sublime! (This chocolate cake is absolutely sublime!)
*Le coucher de soleil sur la mer était sublime. (The sunset over the sea was sublime.)
*Elle a une voix sublime. (She has a sublime voice.)
*C'était un concert sublime, inoubliable. (It was a sublime, unforgettable concert.)
*Son interprétation de la pièce était tout simplement sublime. (His/Her interpretation of the play was simply sublime.)

Are there other ways to say 'beautiful' in French?

Are there other ways to say “beautiful” in French?

Our list features the most common ways to say “beautiful” in French. But there are other terms, from old-fashioned ones, to regional ones, to up-and-coming slang ones this middle-aged author might not even be aware of!

You can also do an online search for “comment dire beau en ___” followed by a specific Francophone country or region.

You might find some interesting synonyms for beau on this list. Of course, make sure to check a word’s definition and try to see it used in context before you use it.

Pay attention as you read, watch, and listen to things in French — you may discover different ways to talk about beauty or describe things as beautiful.

And if you’re looking for ways to talk about different kinds of beauty, or words related to aesthetics in French, the WordReference entry for beau is a great place to start!

I hope you found this article helpful. Here’s what I think is the perfect quote to finish it with, courtesy of Stendhal: La beauté est une promesse de bonheur. (Beauty is a promise of happiness.)

9 ways to say "beautiful" in French