Girls, would you prefer a guy to tell you you're pretty, or cute?

[Tarifa]

And what would you say is the difference between 'pretty' and 'cute'?

Is it OK to say it to someone other than your partner, or is it off limits and possibly condescending?

[Anonymous]

Most women want a guys worship. Cute isn't quite enough. Whether she's interested or not she typically wants a guy to be hopelessly hooked on her. Cut usually makes her mad unless inexplicably she has genuine interest in him. Then she'll take anything in that direction including cute.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/gDmb-BD6gO4

[Tarifa]

I understand that 'cute' has a different ring to it. I think it means someone looks sweet or charming, while 'pretty' and 'beautiful' involve you're attracted by the way she looks. If you're really into a girl, she won't settle for anything less than 'beautiful', 'gorgeous' or whatever she wants to hear from you.

[Emmytexrex]

I don't use those terms for complementing ladies use you look outrageously gorgeous or beautiful I think just the word pretty or beautiful or cute is so empty to me while saying it try this bro don't just compliment emphasis your compliment with backup lol

[Bella138]

I was told pretty most of the time by guys. But for the first time recently, I was called by a real f*cking handsome guy "cute" and I interpreted that he didn't find me pretty. I had a crush on him and that he chose cute for pretty made me feel non-pretty. I didn't have the courage to move on flirting.

[ubercharming]

I prefer pretty to cute. Cute feels like saying in a polite way "I didn't find you pretty much"

[Nikki1989]

Pretty is associated with the classic and the elegant. Cute is more about the youthful and the innocent.

Stick with the pretty.

[Tarifa]

That's a pretty good description, thanks.

As for the second part of the question, would it be OK to say it to someone other than your partner? Like casually commenting on an Instagram pic, saying something like 'you look really pretty in that dress', or commenting about the way a female friend looks when you meet her? It's like threading on thin ice, you never know if you're going to say something she might misunderstand or misinterpret.

[NathanDavis]

I tell them both and more... never had a complaint about it

[josepppiiii]

Dude you’re better off not saying any compliments.

[MoonFace2]

Pretty