French · Emotions & Descriptions
"Handsome" in French: beau
beau
Handsome in French is beau before most masculine nouns: un bel homme before a vowel sound, and belle for feminine. Tu es beau is a direct compliment.
Complimenting a friend
Ce soir, tu es vraiment beau.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce beau
Say it
boh
/bo/
Beau is boh. Bel is bel. Belle is bel. Beaux is boh. Liaison may add a light z in les beaux arts.
"Handsome" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| beau / bel | handsome / beautiful (m) Bel before vowel sounds. | Bel before vowel sounds. |
| belle | beautiful (f) Feminine form. | Feminine form. |
| Tu es beau. | You're handsome. Direct compliment. | Direct compliment. |
| un bel homme | a handsome man Bel + vowel. | Bel + vowel. |
How to use beau in real life
- 1Complimenting a friend
Ce soir, tu es vraiment beau.
Tonight you look really handsome.
Tu es beau.
- 2Describing someone
C'est un bel acteur.
He's a handsome actor.
Bel before vowel sound.
- 3Photo reaction
Sur cette photo, il est trop beau.
In this photo he's so handsome.
Trop beau.
Mistakes English speakers make with beau
Incorrect: Un beau homme.
Correct: Un bel homme.
Use bel before a vowel sound.
Incorrect: Il est handsome.
Correct: Il est beau.
Use beau.
Good to know
Beau covers handsome and beautiful depending on context. For cute, mignon is softer; for hot/attractive slang, other words appear, but beau stays polite.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Picking a profile photo
ChatPal
Sur celle-ci tu es beau.
In this one you look handsome.
You
Tu trouves ? Pas trop sérieux ?
You think? Not too serious?
ChatPal
Non, juste beau et naturel.
No, just handsome and natural.
You
Ok, on garde celle-là.
Okay, we'll keep that one.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Handsome" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Handsome" in French
How do you say handsome in French?
Beau (bel before a vowel sound).
When do I use bel?
Before masculine nouns starting with a vowel sound: un bel homme.
What about feminine?
Belle.
How do you pronounce beau?
Boh.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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