How to Say You Are Beautiful in Korean (예뻐요)

What you'll learn

• Say you are beautiful with 예뻐요, 아름다우세요 or 예뻐, depending on the listener.
• Choose between praising looks (예뻐요) and praising style (멋있어요).
• Say the tense ㅃ and the unrounded ㅓ in [예뻐요].
• Avoid using 잘생겼어요 for a woman.

Before you start: you only need to read Hangul. A good partner page is you are handsome in Korean, which gives the matching praise for men. Time: about 10 minutes. Audio plays only when you press a button.

How Do You Say You Are Beautiful in Korean?

The standard answer is 예뻐요. It comes from the adjective 예쁘다 (yeppeuda), "to be pretty". Korean uses one word for both "pretty" and "beautiful" in daily talk, so 예뻐요 covers "you are pretty", "you are beautiful" and "you look nice". The more poetic word is 아름답다 (areumdapda, to be beautiful), which is used for people, scenery and music.

The tone matters as much as the word. The next section sorts the forms by listener.

What Are the Formal, Polite and Casual Ways to Say You Are Beautiful?

The forms follow the Korean speech levels, which are the endings that change with the listener. The guide to Korean speech levels explains each level. For this phrase, the stem 예쁘- or 아름답- stays the same, and the ending changes.

Polite: 예뻐요 (yeppeoyo)

예뻐요 is the form to learn first. It suits friends, coworkers, classmates and a partner. You make it from 예쁘다 by dropping the ㅡ and adding 어요: 예쁘 + 어요 becomes 예뻐요. You will also hear 이뻐요 (ippeoyo), a very common variant of the same word; the National Institute of Korean Language accepted 이쁘다 as standard in 2015.

The adverb 정말 (jeongmal) means "really". You can also say 너무 예뻐요, where 너무 works as "so" in everyday speech, as in "you are so pretty".

Respectful: 아름다우세요 (areumdauseyo)

아름다우세요 has two special parts. First, 아름답다 is a ㅂ-irregular adjective, so its ㅂ turns into 우 before a vowel: 아름다우. Second, -(으)세요 is the honorific ending, which shows respect for the person you describe. Together they sound graceful and a little formal. This form fits a grandmother, a customer or a bride at a wedding. For a purely formal style, the ending changes to 아름답습니다 (areumdapseumnida), pronounced [아름답씀니다].

Do not use the honorific for yourself. It is only for the person you are praising.

Casual: 예뻐 (yeppeo)

예뻐 drops the polite ending. Use it with close friends, siblings and a partner. The small word 진짜 (jinjja, really) is the casual version of 정말.

Polite: 멋있어요 (meosisseoyo)

멋있어요 means "you look great" or "that is cool". It praises style, charm, clothing and manner rather than face shape, and it works for any gender. It is a safe choice when you do not know someone well, because it praises what they chose, not how they were born. It is pronounced [머시써요].

Before you use them, look at the sounds.

How Do You Pronounce 예뻐요?

예뻐요 is pronounced [예뻐요], ye-ppeo-yo, in three syllables. Two sounds need attention: the tense ㅃ and the vowel ㅓ.

1. 예 (ye): a short "yeh", like "ye" in "yes" without the s.
2. 뻐 (ppeo): a tense ㅃ followed by ㅓ. Press your lips together, hold a little pressure, and release without a puff of air.
3. 요 (yo): "yo".

The ㅓ is unrounded: keep your lips relaxed and open your mouth a little, like "uh". Do not round your lips as for "oh". The tense ㅃ is the key to the word: a plain ㅂ would give a different word, 예버요, which means nothing.

Sound Changes to Listen For

These notes follow the National Institute of Korean Language standard pronunciation rules (표준 발음법):

• No change in 예뻐요. The tense ㅃ is written in the spelling, so you say it as it is. Revised Romanization writes it as pp: yeppeoyo.
• 아름다우세요 has six even syllables. Say a-reum-da-u-se-yo with six even beats and no pause.
• 멋있어요 is [머시써요]. The ㅅ at the end of 멋 moves into the next syllable, and the ㅆ of 있 moves on to 어. The standard rules (Article 15) also allow [머디써요], but [머시써요] is what you will usually hear. RR writes meosisseoyo.
• 아름답습니다 is [아름답씀니다]. The ㅅ after ㅂ becomes tense (Article 23), and the ㅂ before ㄴ turns into ㅁ (Article 18). See Korean tensification.

With the sounds clear, the next question is when to use each form.

When Should You Use 예뻐요, and When Should You Not?

Use 예뻐요 when you mean it and when the other person is likely to welcome it. Complimenting appearance is common among friends in Korea, but with a stranger it can feel forward.

Situations Where It Fits

• A friend's new look. 머리 바꿨어요? 정말 예뻐요. (Did you change your hair? You look so pretty.)
• A special day. At a wedding or a birthday, 오늘 정말 예뻐요 is warm and welcome.
• A partner. 예뻐 or 오늘 예뻐요 is gentle and sincere.

Situations to Avoid

• A stranger in the street. A comment on looks may be unwelcome. A friendly 멋있어요 about a coat or bag is safer.
• A work superior. Praising a boss's looks can sound odd. Praise the work or the style, and use 멋있으세요 (meosisseuseyo) if you must.
• A man, when you mean handsome. Use 잘생겼어요; see you are handsome in Korean.

Two short conversations show how it sounds.

What Does You Are Beautiful Sound Like in a Real Conversation?

A compliment usually brings a modest answer, a thank-you or a question. Listen to the pauses.

What to notice: Jieun answers with 정말요?, a polite "really?", and then says 고마워요. Koreans often respond to praise by asking "really?" first. Minjun adds a concrete detail, which makes the compliment feel sincere.

What to notice: here 아름다워요, not the honorific 아름다우세요, is used because the guests talk about the bride and do not address her. The honorific is mostly for praising someone to their face or for an older person.

What Should You Know about the Culture behind You Are Beautiful?

Compliments on looks are part of friendly talk in Korea, and friends often exchange them freely, for example when someone gets a haircut. Between strangers, the situation is different: personal comments can feel intrusive. Style compliments are easier to give, and a polite 멋있어요 or 잘 어울려요 (it suits you) is welcome.

• Respect first. Use the honorific 예쁘세요 or 아름다우세요 for older women.
• Praise a choice. 그 옷 잘 어울려요 (that outfit suits you) praises what someone picked.
• Accept a compliment lightly. A common reply is 감사합니다 or 아니에요, 감사합니다 (not really, thank you), which is modest.

A last tip: because looks can be a sensitive subject, many learners find it easier to start with a compliment about clothes, hair or a smile.

What Mistakes Do Learners Make with You Are Beautiful in Korean?

Most mistakes come from choosing a word for the wrong person or from the stem change.

The rule behind two of these is simple. A stem that ends in ㅡ, such as 예쁘-, loses the ㅡ before 어요: 예쁘 + 어요 gives 예뻐요, and the same happens with 바쁘다 (바빠요, busy). Stems like 아름답- that end in an irregular ㅂ turn it into 우: 아름다워요 and 아름다우세요.

Is It the Same as Pretty or You Look Beautiful?

Almost. The searches folded into this page each have a short answer.

• You are pretty in Korean: 예뻐요, or the spoken 이뻐요.
• Pretty in Korean (before a noun): 예쁜, as in 예쁜 꽃 (yeppeun kkot, a pretty flower).
• Beautiful in Korean (before a noun): 아름다운, as in 아름다운 노래 (areumdaun norae, a beautiful song).
• You are so beautiful in Korean: 정말 예뻐요 or 너무 예뻐요. For more respect, 정말 아름다우세요.
• You look beautiful in Korean: 오늘 예뻐 보여요 (oneul yeppeo boyeoyo), which means "you look pretty today".

If you want cute and not pretty, read you're cute in Korean. Now say them aloud.

Practice: Say It Aloud

Play the slow clip of 예뻐요 three times, with a tense ㅃ and relaxed lips for ㅓ. Then choose a phrase. Answers follow.

1. You praise a friend's new look, politely.
2. You praise a close friend, casually.
3. You praise an older woman with respect.
4. You admire someone's style, not their face.

Answers

1. 예뻐요.
2. 예뻐.
3. 아름다우세요.
4. 멋있어요.

The phrase flashcards drill these lines with audio.

Related Phrases to Learn Next

Compliments lead to the next feelings.

• You are handsome in Korean: 잘생겼어요 for men.
• You're cute in Korean: 귀여워요 for a lighter compliment.
• I like you in Korean: 좋아해요 for a confession.
• I love you in Korean: 사랑해요 for deeper feelings.

This guide belongs to the Korean love phrases collection. What this page does not cover: the full conjugation of 예쁘다, compliments on body shape, and dating customs. Choose 예뻐요 for looks, 멋있어요 for style, and 아름다우세요 for respect, and you can say you are beautiful in Korean naturally.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you say you are beautiful in Korean?

Say 예뻐요 (yeppeoyo) in polite speech, 예뻐 (yeppeo) to a close friend, and 아름다우세요 (areumdauseyo) to show respect to an elder or in formal praise. Korean often drops 'you', so one word is a full sentence. Add 정말 (jeongmal, really) or name the person for emphasis: 지은 씨, 정말 예뻐요.

How do you pronounce 예뻐요?

It is pronounced [예뻐요], ye-ppeo-yo, in three syllables. The ㅃ is a tense consonant: press your lips together, build a little pressure, and release without a puff of air. The ㅓ is unrounded, so keep your lips relaxed and do not make them round like 'oh'. Revised Romanization writes yeppeoyo.

What is the difference between 예뻐요 and 아름다우세요?

예뻐요 is warm and everyday, and it praises how someone looks. 아름다우세요 is more elegant and respectful, because it adds the honorific -(으)시- and uses the graceful word 아름답다. Use 예뻐요 with friends, coworkers and people your age, and 아름다우세요 for an older woman or a formal occasion.

Is 예뻐요 formal or casual?

It is polite, in the middle. The ending -요 makes it suitable for most situations. For a casual form drop the 요 and say 예뻐. For a formal form, say 예쁩니다 (yeppeumnida). Remember that many people feel that praising a stranger's looks is forward, so tone and place matter as much as the ending.

Can I use 예뻐요 with friends, elders and strangers?

With friends, yes, in the casual 예뻐 or polite 예뻐요 form. With an older woman, the honorific 예쁘세요 (yeppeuseyo) or 아름다우세요 is more respectful. With a stranger, be careful: a compliment on looks can feel too personal, and a comment on clothes or style, such as 멋있어요, is usually safer.

What is the most common mistake with you are beautiful in Korean?

Learners use 잘생겼어요 for a woman. 잘생겼어요 means 'good-looking' and is typically said about men. For a woman, use 예뻐요. A second mistake is 예쁘어요, which forgets that 예쁘다 drops its ㅡ before a vowel ending: 예쁘 + 어요 becomes 예뻐요.

Save This to Pinterest