No matter the reason, showing and receiving affection feels great, doesn’t it? But… do you know how to give compliments in English? Keep calm, because that is exactly the topic of our article today.
We have separated expressions that will help you praise in English, in different situations and contexts of everyday life, such as appearance, personality, clothes and even the recognition of someone's work, regardless of their English level. Let's learn?
How to give compliments in English? Check out our list!
Well-known English words such as pretty, beautiful or handsome (which mean “beautiful” and “handsome”), are the most common and easiest to use when we want to compliment someone, right? But compliments in English go beyond that.
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How to compliment beauty and appearance in English?
Although some of the expressions we mentioned earlier are quite popular, you need to know the right time to use them or who they can be directed at, so take note:
- Pretty (beautiful): used to compliment women;
- Beautiful: it is used to praise women or things;
- Handsome: is the expression used to praise men.
There are still other words, like “stunning” and “gorgeous”, which mean stunning, wonderful, and “good looking”, which means beautiful, but is used more in the sense of “good looking”. We will show some applications below.
| Phrases with compliments in English | Portuguese translation |
| You are so beautiful. | You are so beautiful. |
| You are a handsome guy. | You are a handsome guy. |
| You look gorgeous! | You look wonderful! |
| She is a pretty girl. | She is a beautiful girl. |
| He is a handsome guy. | He is a handsome boy. |
| He is really good looking. | He is very attractive. |
| You have beautiful eyes. | You have beautiful eyes. |
| You look nice in that shirt. | You look really good in that blouse. |
| You look stunning in that suit. | You look stunning in that suit. |
| I like your style. | I like your style. |
| I like your T-shirt. Where did you get it? | I liked your shirt. Where did you buy it? |
| You look nice in this dress; that color is perfect on you. | You look beautiful in that dress; that color suits you perfectly. |
| I love your shoes! | I loved your shoes! |
| Your outfit looks amazing. | Your outfit is wonderful. |
| You look different today. Did you get a haircut? | You look different today. Did you cut your hair? |
Read also: English for Beginners – Where to Start?
Compliments in English to speak well of someone's personality
When we compliment someone, we’re not just talking about their appearance, right? There are different ways to show our affection, including other people’s attitudes and actions. Here are some phrases to compliment someone’s personality in English.
| Phrases with compliments in English | Portuguese translation |
| You are funny. I'm always laughing with you! | You are funny. I'm always laughing with you! |
| I find you super intelligent. | I think you're super smart. |
| Your smile is contagious. | Your smile is contagious. |
| You have a great sense of humor! | You have a great sense of humor! |
| You are an awesome friend. | You are an amazing friend. |
| I find your accent really cute. | I think your accent is really cute. |
| You are so patient! | You are so patient! |
| You are the best friend in the world! | You are the best friend in the world! |
Compliments in English for your boyfriend/girlfriend
For romantic people, there's nothing better than showing your love to that special person, right? So we'll give you a little help with English expressions to compliment your loved one.
| Phrases with compliments in English | Portuguese translation |
| You make me happy. | You make me happy. |
| My life is happier with you. | My life is happier with you. |
| You are my first thought in the morning and my last thought before I go to bed. | You are my first thought in the morning and my last thought before I go to bed. |
| You're the man/woman of my dreams. | You are the man/woman of my dreams. |
| I love you with all of my heart. | I love you with all my heart. |
Compliments in English to use at work
Recognizing and being recognized for a job well done is one of the best feelings, isn’t it? So get ready to receive and give compliments in English, even in the workplace.
| Phrases with compliments in English | Portuguese translation |
| Keep up the good work. It's inspiring. | Keep up the good work. It's inspiring. |
| Nice work. You are great at it. | Good job. You're great at this. |
| You've done an excellent job. Congratulations. | You did an excellent job. Congratulations. |
English Compliments for Food
Have you enjoyed a delicious meal with your friends and want to compliment the person who cooked it? This is a simple practice that makes everyone happier. Here are some expressions to compliment food in English.
| Phrases with compliments in English | Portuguese translation |
| This salad is so fresh, really good. | This salad is so fresh, very good. |
| It smells delicious. | It smells delicious. |
| What is it? It tastes so good. | What is this? It tastes so good. |
How to compliment someone's house in English?
There's nothing like being kind and cordial after visiting someone's home, right? We have prepared some expressions that will help you return the favor when visiting friends and/or family.
| Phrases with compliments in English | Portuguese translation |
| You have a good taste in decorating. | You have good taste in decoration. |
| You have a really nice place. | You have a very beautiful house. |
| Besides being comfy, your house has a great view. | In addition to being comfortable, your house has a great view. |
Thanking Compliments in English
In addition to learning how to say compliments, it is kind and cordial to say thank you when you are complimented, isn't it? So our last list is made up of expressions to say thank you for compliments in English.
| Phrases with compliments in English | Portuguese translation |
| Thanks! You just made my day! | Thank you! You just made my day! |
| Thank you for the compliment. | Thank you for the compliment. |
| Thanks! You too. | Thank you! You too. |
| Thank you. It's very nice of you to say that. | Thank you. It's really nice of you to say that. |
Did you see how there are several different ways to compliment in English? Now it's time to practice with the people you interact with on a daily basis. Take the opportunity to practice your greetings or greetings in English, we have a post with a series of them for you to put into practice.
See you next time! See you later!
