English is my second language. Lately, I've seen, many times, people using the word "pretty", where I'd use "beautiful". Does one word mean "more" than the other, or they just are used in different situations, to refer to different kinds of things?
Thank you for your answer, and have a wonderful day! :)
2007-05-17 03:51:38 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
Thank you for your answers, so far! :)
2007-05-18 22:11:05 · update #1
Just to make things clear: I did NOT give thumbs down to any of you.
2007-05-18 22:12:06 · update #2
You are all very kind, and I appreciate that you took the time to try to help me more than you know but, please, could you explain this better? I still have many doubts, and some of the answers contradict the others...
2007-05-18 22:14:50 · update #3
Psychic Cat ~ I can't say you are wrong, since English is your language, not mine but, if this is the way you say it is, then how do you call a rose or a sunset?
2007-05-18 22:18:15 · update #4
Let's try this...
How do you call a ______, when you like it?
a flower?
a flower you like more than the other flowrs in the same garden?
a sunset?
a girl?
a woman?
a boy?
a man?
2007-05-18 22:39:49 · update #5
a house?
a city?
a beach?
a dress?
2007-05-18 22:40:21 · update #6
a song?
a type of music?
a poem?
a cat?
2007-05-18 22:42:00 · update #7
a painting?
a kind gesture?
2007-05-18 22:43:35 · update #8
A starry night?
2007-05-18 22:47:08 · update #9
A Cathedral?
2007-05-18 22:50:29 · update #10
The words your friend wrote to you, at a Birthday card?
2007-05-18 22:51:22 · update #11
A person that you love and admire very much, but that has an ugly face?
2007-05-18 23:08:17 · update #12
A smile?
A view?
2007-05-19 00:59:01 · update #13
The Moon?
A rainbow?
A music concert?
2007-05-19 02:04:47 · update #14
I know many of these can't be called pretty, but can they be called beautiful? If not, as some of you say, what words should I use?
2007-05-19 02:06:29 · update #15
They both refer to pleasing FACIAL APPEARANCES. So, don't confuse with roses or sunsets! Beautiful refers to a strikingly desirable or attractive face (independent of the subjective taste of the user). Pretty is a complementary term, but indicates a less elevated or more superficial appeal than beautiful. It's "possible" to use beautiful regarding men, as in having beautiful features, or a beautiful expressive face, but never "Pretty" unless in the pejorative. Synonyms are comely, cute, good-looking, gorgeous, handsome. (Handsome can be used of mature women.) People use "beautiful" inappropriately, (beautifully said, beautiful mountain & so on). I know I do! But, "beautiful" & "pretty" refer to physical appearance, "beautiful" is more--"pretty" is less. Did I help, or just make it more confusing?!
Edit: Obviously. I was focusing on the "proper" usage, yet "beautfiul" IS commonly used other than my blethering "proper usage." I guess I was in a time warp. Or something. The stern English teacher. I was correct, but it's also true that MANY things are described as beautiful. & I do this as well! Wish I could delete the whole thing. "Common usage" is far more important...I'm going to have a good sleep now, & ......try not to be so rigid again! Sigh. Everyone hates me!
2007-05-18 14:25:48 · answer #1 · answered by Psychic Cat 6 · 1⤊ 3⤋
Beauty is stronger and is closer to being an absolute term than pretty. You could say, for example, that someone is "fairly beautiful" or "reasonably beautiful", but it sounds rather odd, whereas "fairly pretty" and "reasonably pretty" sound perfectly normal (compare cold and freezing, or big and enormous).
In general, I'd recommend using the word "beautiful" sparingly. It's often the mark of a non-native speaker to overuse words of this kind. To call someone "pretty", I would add, is by no means an insult. I've always found it to seem slightly warmer than "beautiful", presumably owing to the latter's connotations of absoluteness.
2007-05-17 06:22:55 · answer #2 · answered by garik 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
beautiful is something we feel about a place or a person. u know wot i mean where as pretty is pleasant . like wot beautiful soul u have or wot a pretty face u have so on and so on,.
Hey Ive been told I'm beautiful. i think I'm normal. dont know why people say im beautiful. i feel OK like pretty no more than that, me b/friend calls me gorgeous! thats the complete of everything put together.i do 2 though u should see me b/friend he is beautiful. handsome gorgeous.
2007-05-18 02:05:52 · answer #3 · answered by ANgEL 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Pretty usually denotes a common level of attractiveness. Nothing outstanding... just another rose on the bush.
Beautiful denotes a really distinctive and remarkable sort of beauty. The loveliest rose on the bush.
2007-05-17 03:58:10 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Pretty is a lighter term, and more generally assumed to be more trivial than beauty. You don't do philosophy and religion around "prettiness," but you do around "beauty."
Also, beauty may refer more to character, style, and those hard to define factors that make a person so appealing, while prettiness is just about exclusively in reference to looks.
2007-05-17 05:01:29 · answer #5 · answered by auntb93 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
the word Beautiful has more of a meaning to thing and gives it a more powerful meaning and pretty is a nice way to say nice.
this is what we all kinda mean when we use these terms.
2007-05-17 04:00:46 · answer #6 · answered by DENISE 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
" English is my second language." same as you Moonriver , but i can think that pretty can be used when describing people , while beautiful can be used for both IE people or scenery's.
EX.Pretty face or pretty woman.
While beautiful can be used for people ( beautiful woman ) or for scenery's ( beautiful sunset , beautiful sea etc)
I would rather wait for English speaking people for a better answer.
Very interesting question .
Thank you.
2007-05-17 23:58:12 · answer #7 · answered by d260383 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I guess that beautiful would mean 'more' than pretty, like you said.
For example, a ring or a bracelet might be pretty; while, a baby might be beautiful.
2007-05-17 03:57:11 · answer #8 · answered by Kalikina 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Sometimes, if you're describing a person, it depends on their age - so, you have pretty girls and beautiful women. It's not a definite rule, but I have noticed it.
2007-05-17 06:00:50 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
pretty is used more as a casual word.. while beautiful is more serious and formal.. but both have the same meaning..
2007-05-17 03:57:12 · answer #10 · answered by sajirvill 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋