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Pretty, beautiful, handsome, or cute
Pretty is nice-looking, beautiful is stronger, handsome is good-looking for a man, and cute is sweet and charming.
Quick rule
Which fits? A pleasant view is pretty, a stunning one is beautiful. A man is handsome. A baby or puppy is cute.
Nice to look at, but not stunning. Used for women, girls, flowers, clothes, and places.
Very attractive, in a way that impresses you. Used for people, scenery, music, and days.
Good-looking, mostly said about a man's face. Also used for some animals and elegant buildings.
Sweet, small, or charming in a way that makes you smile. Used for babies, pets, clothes, and young people.
How to choose
| Question | pretty | beautiful | handsome | cute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Is it the strongest praise, for something stunning? | No | Yes | No | No |
| Is it mainly used for men? | No | No | Yes | No |
| Is it said about babies, puppies, or small sweet things? | SometimesSometimes | SometimesSometimes | SometimesSometimes | Yes |
Why it trips people up
Four words cover what Spanish says with bonito, lindo, hermoso, and guapo. Pretty and beautiful are two strengths of attractive, handsome is for good-looking men, and cute is for what is sweet, small, or charming.
How each one works
Pretty
A nice-looking feature
She has a pretty smile.
Praising something you wear
What a pretty dress! Where did you buy it?
A pleasant place
It's a pretty little town by the lake.
Beautiful
Scenery that impresses
The view from the mountain was beautiful.
A very pleasant sound
Her singing voice is beautiful.
Nice weather
What a beautiful morning! The sky is clear.
Handsome
An attractive man
My uncle was a very handsome young man.
Elegant and good-looking
The actor looks handsome in a suit.
A good-looking animal
What a handsome dog! What's his name?
Cute
Sweet and small
Your baby is so cute!
Charming and clever
That's a cute idea for a birthday card.
Attractive in a friendly way
I think the new guy in my class is cute.
What comes next
a pretty plus noun
She planted pretty flowers along the path.
pretty plus adjective: fairly or quite
It's pretty cold today, so bring a jacket.
a beautiful plus noun
We stayed in a beautiful old hotel.
a handsome plus man, boy, or dog
He has two handsome sons.
so cute: to praise something sweet
Those socks with tiny ducks are so cute.
Set phrases
Pretty
- pretty good
- fairly good, but not excellent
- pretty much
- almost, or nearly all
Beautiful
- beautiful weather
- sunny and pleasant weather
Handsome
- tall, dark, and handsome
- a man who is tall with dark hair and a good-looking face
- a handsome sum
- a large amount of money
Cute
- cute as a button
- very sweet and nice to look at
Almost the same
She is pretty.
Nice to look at.
She is beautiful.
She stands out; this is stronger.
She is cute.
Sweet and charming, often young.
He is handsome.
The usual word for an attractive man.
He is cute.
Attractive in a sweet way.
He's such a pretty boy.
For a man it often sounds mocking.
In a conversation
- A:
Come see my niece's photos.
- B:
Aww, she looks so cute!
- A:
And the wedding was beautiful. The church was full of flowers.
- B:
Was your brother the groom? He's so handsome.
- A:
Thanks! The cake was pretty too, but we ate it before the photo.
- B:
Send me a photo of the cake, please.
Common mistakes
Wrong: That's a handsome sunset.
Right: That's a beautiful sunset.
Handsome is for people, animals, and a few elegant things such as buildings. For a sunset, use beautiful.
Wrong: This is a cute day.
Right: This is a beautiful day.
Cute is for small, sweet things, not for weather or scenery.
Memory trick
Think of strength. Pretty is the middle level and beautiful is the top. Handsome is for him. Cute is for what you want to hug.
It depends
- Pretty as "quite"
- In It's pretty good, pretty means fairly. It is an adverb, and it says nothing about looks.
- A handsome woman
- A handsome woman means a strong, elegant woman with striking features, not simply a pretty one.
FAQ
Is pretty or beautiful stronger?
Beautiful is stronger. Pretty means nice-looking, and beautiful means stunning.
Can you say a man is pretty?
It is better not to. Said about a man, pretty can sound mocking. Use handsome or good-looking.
What does cute mean?
Cute means sweet and charming, often small or young: a cute puppy, a cute baby, or a cute idea.