# Describing people in Esperanto: looks and personality

Source: https://esperantopedia.org/phrases/describing-people/
Language: en
Updated: 2026-10-11

> Describe people in Esperanto: alta, juna, blonda, afabla, timema. Looks, age, height and character words with pronunciation, plus -em-, -ul- and mal-.

You describe a person in Esperanto with ***esti*** "to be" plus an adjective ending in *-a*: ***Ŝi estas alta*** "She is tall", ***Li estas afabla*** "He is kind". For what a person has, use ***havi*** "to have" and a noun: ***Li havas barbon*** "He has a beard". Ask with ***Kia li estas?*** "What is he like?" or ***Kiel li aspektas?*** "What does he look like?". Pronunciation guides split words into syllables, with the stressed syllable in capitals.

## Asking about a person

| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is she like? | *Kia ŝi estas?* | KI-a ŝi ES-tas | looks or character; PMEG's own example continues *Ĉu li estas maljuna aŭ juna?* |
| What does she look like? | *Kiel ŝi aspektas?* | KI-el ŝi as-PEK-tas | *aspekti* "to look, appear" |
| How tall are you? | *Kiel alta vi estas?* | KI-el AL-ta vi ES-tas | *kiom alta* stresses a high degree (PMEG) |
| How old are you? | *Kiom da jaroj vi havas?* | KI-om da JA-roj vi HA-vas | or *Kiom aĝa vi estas?* |

## Height, build and age

| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| tall | *alta* | AL-ta | also "high"; *altkreska* "tall of stature" |
| short | *malalta* | mal-AL-ta | also "low" |
| of medium height | *de meza kresko* | de ME-za KRES-ko | *kresko* is a person's stature (ReVo) |
| slim | *maldika* | mal-DI-ka | ReVo's usage note prefers it to *magra* "lean" |
| slim, elegant | *svelta* | SVEL-ta | graceful thinness |
| fat | *dika* | DI-ka | also "thick" |
| stout | *korpulenta* | kor-pu-LEN-ta | heavily built (ReVo: *dika, malsvelta*) |
| strong | *forta* | FOR-ta | |
| muscular | *muskola* | mus-KO-la | |
| weak | *malforta* | mal-FOR-ta | |
| young | *juna* | JU-na | |
| old (of a person) | *maljuna* | mal-JU-na | things are *malnova* |
| middle-aged | *mezaĝa* | me-ZA-ĝa | neither very young nor very old (ReVo) |
| adult, of age | *plenaĝa* | ple-NA-ĝa | old enough for full civil rights (ReVo) |

## Saying height and age with numbers

A number plus a unit in front of *alta* or *aĝa* takes the ending *-n*. PMEG calls it a measure that describes the adjective. Numbers are on the [numbers page](https://esperantopedia.org/grammar/numbers/).

| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| She is 170 cm tall. | *Ŝi estas cent sepdek centimetrojn alta.* | ŝi ES-tas cent SEP-dek cen-ti-ME-trojn AL-ta | measure + *-n* |
| He is 20 years old. | *Li estas dudek jarojn aĝa.* | li ES-tas DU-dek JA-rojn A-ĝa | the same with *aĝa* |
| She is 30. | *Ŝi havas tridek jarojn.* | ŝi HA-vas TRI-dek JA-rojn | also *Ŝi aĝas tridek jarojn*, which PMEG calls modern; Zamenhof would say *havi aĝon de tridek jaroj* |
| a twelve-year-old girl | *dekdujara knabino* | dek-du-JA-ra kna-BI-no | one word, no *-n* |
| He is two years older than me. | *Li estas du jarojn pli aĝa ol mi.* | li ES-tas du JA-rojn pli A-ĝa ol mi | the *-n* shows the difference |

## Hair, face and glasses

Other body parts are on the [body and health page](https://esperantopedia.org/phrases/body-health/), and colours for hair and eyes on the [colours page](https://esperantopedia.org/phrases/colors/).

| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| all the hair | *hararo* | ha-RA-ro | one hair is *haro* |
| long, short hair | *longaj, mallongaj haroj* | LON-gaj, mal-LON-gaj HA-roj | |
| curly | *bukla* | BUK-la | spiral (ReVo) |
| straight | *rekta* | REK-ta | not curved (ReVo) |
| blond | *blonda* | BLON-da | yellow between gold and light brown |
| red-haired, grey-haired | *ruĝhara, grizhara* | ruĝ-HA-ra, griz-HA-ra | colour + *hara*; ReVo has *fajrohara* |
| bald | *kalva* | KAL-va | a bald man is *kalvulo* |
| beard | *barbo* | BAR-bo | *barba* "bearded", *senbarba* "beardless" |
| moustache | *lipharoj* | lip-HA-roj | plural, hair on the upper lip |
| glasses | *okulvitroj* | o-kul-VI-troj | plural, like English |
| handsome, pretty | *bela* | BE-la | one word for both; *malbela* "ugly" |

Wear glasses with *porti* (see [clothes](https://esperantopedia.org/phrases/clothes/)): *Ŝi portas okulvitrojn* – "She wears glasses".

## Character words

Adjectives for character, with the *mal-* opposite in the note where the pair is useful.

| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| kind | *afabla* | a-FA-bla | *malafabla* "unkind, rude" |
| friendly | *amika* | a-MI-ka | like a friend |
| polite | *ĝentila* | ĝen-TI-la | *malĝentila* "rude" |
| cheerful | *gaja* | GA-ja | shows outwardly; see [feelings](https://esperantopedia.org/phrases/feelings/) |
| honest | *honesta* | ho-NES-ta | |
| generous | *malavara* | mal-a-VA-ra | opposite of *avara* "stingy" |
| modest | *modesta* | mo-DES-ta | |
| charming | *ĉarma* | ĈAR-ma | |
| shy | *hontema* | hon-TE-ma | easily ashamed |
| timid | *timema* | ti-ME-ma | inclined to fear |
| brave | *kuraĝa* | ku-RA-ĝa | *malkuraĝa* "cowardly" |
| calm | *trankvila* | tran-KVI-la | |
| serious | *serioza* | se-ri-O-za | |
| funny | *amuza* | a-MU-za | |
| wise | *saĝa* | SA-ĝa | *malsaĝa* "foolish" |
| stupid | *stulta* | STUL-ta | stronger than *malsaĝa*: deeply lacking wit (ReVo) |
| witty | *sprita* | SPRI-ta | quick, original wit |
| curious | *scivolema* | sci-vo-LE-ma | |
| hardworking | *diligenta*, *laborema* | di-li-GEN-ta, la-bo-RE-ma | |
| lazy | *maldiligenta*, *pigra* | mal-di-li-GEN-ta, PI-gra | |
| patient | *pacienca* | pa-ci-EN-ca | *malpacienca* "impatient" |
| talkative | *parolema* | pa-ro-LE-ma | |
| quiet by nature | *silentema* | si-len-TE-ma | prefers silence (ReVo) |
| quick-tempered | *kolerema* | ko-le-RE-ma | |

## How -em-, -ul- and mal- build character words

| Word part | Meaning | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| *-em-* | inclined to | *paroli* → *parolema* | to speak → talkative |
| *-ul-* | a person with the quality | *saĝa* → *saĝulo* | wise → a wise person |
| *mal-* | the opposite | *diligenta* → *maldiligenta* | diligent → lazy |

**-em-** means a natural tendency, and it usually sits on a verb root: *timi* "to fear" gives *timema*. **-ul-** turns a quality into a person: *honesta* gives *honestulo*, *juna* gives *junulo*. PMEG adds that *-em-* can often be dropped before *-ul-*, so *timemulo* becomes *timulo*. In the plural these words are neutral (*saĝuloj* "wise people"), but a singular *-ulo* often sounds male, so add *-in-* for a woman: *junulino*, *belulino*. PMEG notes that many speakers consider *ŝi estas belulo* wrong. More in [suffixes](https://esperantopedia.org/grammar/suffixes/).

**mal-** flips the meaning, and [opposites](https://esperantopedia.org/phrases/opposites/) lists dozens of pairs. It differs from *ne*: *Ŝi ne estas afabla* "She is not kind" is milder than *Ŝi estas malafabla* "She is unkind".

## Four short descriptions

**A friend.** *Mia amikino Anna estas alta kaj svelta. Ŝi havas longajn blondajn harojn kaj bluajn okulojn. Ŝi estas afabla, gaja kaj iom timema.* – "My friend Anna is tall and slim. She has long blond hair and blue eyes. She is kind, cheerful and a little timid."

**A grandfather.** *Mia avo estas maljuna kaj iom dika. Li havas grizan barbon kaj portas okulvitrojn. Li estas saĝa kaj pacienca, kaj li ŝatas ŝerci.* – "My grandfather is old and a little heavy. He has a grey beard and wears glasses. He is wise and patient, and he likes to joke."

**A boy.** *Mia frato estas dekdujara. Li estas malalta kaj maldika, kaj li havas mallongajn brunajn harojn. Li estas scivolema kaj diligenta, sed ne tre parolema.* – "My brother is twelve. He is short and thin and has short brown hair. He is curious and diligent, but not very talkative."

**A question and answer.** *Kiel aspektas via nova instruisto?* – *Li estas juna kaj alta. Li havas barbon kaj okulvitrojn.* – *Kia li estas?* – *Li estas tre ĝentila, sed iom serioza.* – "What does your new teacher look like? He is young and tall. He has a beard and glasses. What is he like? He is very polite, but a little serious."

Adjectives agree with their noun, so *longajn blondajn harojn* has *-j* and *-n* on all three words (see [nouns and adjectives](https://esperantopedia.org/grammar/nouns-adjectives/)). *Iom* "a little" and *tre* "very" soften or strengthen any adjective.

## Common questions

### How do you say "tall" and "short" about a person in Esperanto?

*Alta* is tall and *malalta* is short (also "low"). For age, *juna* is young and *maljuna* is old.

### How do you ask what someone looks like in Esperanto?

Say *Kiel li aspektas?* for looks. *Kia li estas?* is broader: the answer can be about looks or character.

### How do you say a person's age in Esperanto?

Say *Li estas dudek jarojn aĝa* or *Li havas dudek jarojn*. Before a noun, one word does it: *dudekjara viro* "a twenty-year-old man".

### What is the difference between timema and timulo?

*Timema* is an adjective, "timid". *Timulo* is a noun, "a timid person", short for *timemulo*.

### How do you say "handsome" or "pretty" in Esperanto?

Both are *bela*: *bela viro* "a handsome man", *bela virino* "a beautiful woman". *Belulo* means "a beautiful person"; for a woman *belulino* is safer.

## Sources

- [PMEG – N por mezuro (measures such as *dudek jarojn aĝa*)](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/gramatiko/rolmontriloj/n/mezuro.html)
- [PMEG – Tabelvortoj je A (*kia*)](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/gramatiko/oa-vortecaj_vortetoj/tabelvortoj_a.html) and [je EL (*kiel*, *kiom*)](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/gramatiko/e-vortecaj_vortetoj/ceteraj/tabelvortoj_el.html)
- [PMEG – EM](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/vortfarado/afiksoj/sufiksoj/em.html), [UL](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/vortfarado/afiksoj/sufiksoj/ul.html) and [MAL](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/vortfarado/afiksoj/prefiksoj/mal.html)
- ReVo: [alta](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/alt.html), [dika](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/dik.html), [juna](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/jun.html), [bela, belulo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/bel.html), [blonda](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/blond.html), [haro, hararo, lipharoj](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/har.html), [barbo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/barb.html), [kalva](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/kalv.html), [okulvitroj](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/vitr.html), [bukla](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/bukl.html), [rekta](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/rekt.html)
- ReVo: [svelta](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/svelt.html), [magra](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/magr.html), [korpulenta](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/korpul.html), [muskola](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/muskol.html), [kresko](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/kresk.html), [aĝo, mezaĝa, plenaĝa](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/agx.html), [aspekti](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/aspekt.html)
- ReVo: [afabla](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/afabl.html), [amika](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/amik.html), [ĝentila](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/gxenti.html), [gaja](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/gaj.html), [honesta](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/honest.html), [avara, malavara](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/avar.html), [modesta](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/modest.html), [ĉarma](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/cxarm.html), [hontema](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/hont.html), [timema](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/tim.html), [kuraĝa](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/kuragx.html), [trankvila](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/trankv.html), [serioza](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/serioz.html), [amuza](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/amuz.html)
- ReVo: [saĝa, saĝulo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/sagx.html), [stulta](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/stult.html), [sprita](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/sprit.html), [scivolema](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/sci.html), [diligenta](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/dilige.html), [laborema](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/labor.html), [pigra](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/pigr.html), [pacienca](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/pacien.html), [parolema](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/parol.html), [silentema](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/silent.html), [kolerema](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/koler.html), [ŝerci](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/sxerc.html)
- [Fundamento de Esperanto – Ekzercaro (*lipharoj*, *gajaj*, *kuraĝa*, *diligenta*, *honesta*)](https://www.akademio-de-esperanto.org/fundamento/ekzercaro.html)
- Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR), confirming the question forms: [#517979](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/517979), [#433818](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/433818), [#2207708](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/2207708), [#1473189](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/1473189), [#2773294](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/2773294)