If you’d like to say “beautiful” in Spanish, you can use “hermoso” (masculine) or “hermosa” (feminine). As with many adjectives, there are a few other options. “Precioso” (masculine) or “preciosa” (feminine) is often used when speaking about an object of value. You can also use “bello” when you’re speaking about an object, such as a piece of art, a garden, or the general state of a person, place, or thing. Here are a few examples to get you started:
El actor es famoso por sus rasgos hermosos. / The actor is famous for his good looks.
No quiero un anillo con una piedra preciosa. / I don’t want a ring with a precious stone.
En Nueva York, todo es bello. / In New York, everything is beautiful.
Although Spanish adjectives might seem confusing, remember that you don’t have to tackle them all at once. Even with a common word like “beautiful,” getting comfortable with one option will usually work well in most circ*mstances. After you’re acclimated, you can slowly incorporate other adjectives with more nuanced meanings.
And here’s another tip: if you already speak another major European language, learning Spanish is most likely attainable. Because English, just like Italian and French, has deep roots in Latin, these languages all share thousands of words with contemporary Spanish. These shared words are called cognates and have significant similarities in spelling and/or pronunciation. That’s why you can easily find English words like “flexible” that look and sound identical or nearly-so in French (flexible), Italian (flessibile), and Spanish (flexible).
Spanish also has a simple system of pronunciation. Unlike English, there are only a few irregularities. The standard Spanish alphabet is also a near-exact match to English. It just has 29 letters instead of the 26 you’re used to. The extra three are: ch (chay), ll (elle), and ñ (eñe).
Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion® methodology teaches you the language, not just the words. What makes it effective is that we prepare you to use your new language in your everyday life. So it’s not just about the features, but what you’re able to do because of them. It helps you get ready to handle situations with confidence.
