The notion of handsome is used to refer to an individual who is attractive and stands out for his good looks . For example: “Who is that handsome boy accompanying your brother?” , “The new employee at the store is very handsome” , “Last night I met a handsome and funny boy at the bar, I hope I can meet him again” .
The idea of handsome is often used in reference to someone's physical beauty. The term, however, can also be linked to elegance : when a person “is handsome” , he or she is well dressed: “You look so handsome today, Marcos!” , “I don't like wearing a tie, but I had to dress up to attend my cousin's wedding” , “In a shiny tuxedo, the actor looked very handsome at the awards ceremony” .
On the other hand, someone who shows off his courage or bravery , acting with determination despite the risks, difficulties or danger , is described as handsome: “Gómez is a handsome forward, who is not afraid to ask for the ball and face rival defenders” , “The young man was handsome and threw himself into the water without hesitation to save the dog” , “I don't know if I'm handsome, but I would do anything to protect my family” .
While in some countries the term "handsome" is often used to describe young people or adults, in Spain there is no age limit that prevents its use. For example, you can say "But how handsome this child is!" when seeing a one-month-old baby, a three-year-old boy or a teenager.
On the other hand, it is true that there is an implicit distinction between the conditions that a subject must meet to be described in this way: babies cause tenderness to most people, so they do not have to meet any requirements to receive all kinds of flattery from their elders; from a certain age, to access this qualification it is usually necessary to be well dressed, with combed hair and a shiny appearance, typical of someone who is going to a party.
In Spain, the word guapa is also used, with the same meaning as its masculine version. This does not happen in other countries, where other adjectives are reserved for girls and women, such as “linda” or “hermosa”. A synonym more used in the feminine than in the masculine is mona : “Mira qué guapa/mona está Lucía” . In fact, it is also common to resort to its superlatives: “¡Estás guapísima/monísima!” . It is possible that there is a slight difference between both terms: the first refers above all to the state of the person at the time of the comment, while the second points more to the natural characteristics of the person.
Throughout a person's development, it is expected that their physical appearance will not be a concern until they reach adolescence. Although children today are much more aesthetically conscious than they were in the 20th century, the luckiest ones can enjoy their childhood without stopping to think about their hair, their clothes or their shoes. With sexual maturity comes the need to be "liked" by someone, to find the famous "other half", and it is for this reason that the primitive need to court arises in us. Looking good, however, does not guarantee success in any area of life; the secret lies in being yourself.
A handsome man, finally, can be a belligerent, aggressive or boastful subject : “That handsome man approached our table looking for a fight ” , “You are handsome, aren't you? Come here, I have something to tell you, if you dare” , “He wanted to act handsome and ended up crying and asking for forgiveness” .