Bonita, linda, hermosa, bella, and guapa: what's the difference?

Question

I've seen all of these used to mean 'pretty', although 'hermosa' seems to mean beautiful and 'guapa' seems to mean handsome. Are there any subtle differences them? For instance, in English being beautiful is a much higher compliment than being pretty. Do these words have different levels of praise to them as well? Can *guapa* be used for females as well as males? How can I learn which one to choose for a given situation?

Answer 1

I am originally from Peru and yes they are all synonyms, they mean the same. It could mean something different in Cuba but for most of the Spanish speaking countries they mean the same. Beautiful, pretty , handsome.

And "guapa" can be used for women and "guapo" for men.

Answer 2

I agree with Celibeth that these are all synonyms. Now, the words "bella" and "hermosa" describe a woman that is very very very pretty. It would be like beautiful in English.

In regards to the word "guapa", it is definitely another synonym to express how pretty (or handsome) a person is. However, in Cuba for example, it could have another connotation. A person that is "guapa" is someone who is always ready to fight and is not afraid of any confrontation. Again, it depends on the context.

Here's an example:

(only in Cuba)

Ese muchacho es guapo, no le tiene miedo a nada.

1. That guy is brave, he is not afraid of anything.

Still, Cubans know that "guapo" also means handsome, depending on the context.

I hope this explanation helps.

Answer 3

Realmente todos son sinonimos es decir tienen un mismo significado, por lo que no hay diferencia a nivel conceptual sino de uso en el contexto que se este hablando.