Casualadjective
bello/bella
beautiful, handsome, mate, bro
Literal Translation
"beautiful"
Formal Equivalent
caro/a, gentile
Examples in Context
"Bella! Come stai? Tutto bene?"
"Hey mate! How are you? All good?"
"Bello de papà, vieni qua!"
"Handsome boy, come here!"
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Cultural Note
Beyond its literal meaning of 'beautiful', 'bella/bello' is widely used as a greeting or term of endearment. 'Bella!' as a greeting is especially common in Rome and central Italy. 'Bello de papà/mamma' is an affectionate compliment from parents. Among friends, 'bella' replaces 'ciao' in very informal contexts.
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