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I met a pretty girl on the street. And I wonder who the pretty girl looks like. (father or mother?) How can I ask a question to the pretty girl?

  1. Who do you look like to be so pretty?
  2. Who do you resemble to be so pretty?
  3. Who do you look like so pretty?
  4. You are so pretty. Who do you look like?

What is the right answer to the question above?

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    Almost any way of asking this will be rude. You can't go and harass people like this.
    – James K
    Aug 1, 2018 at 9:39

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As I said in a comment, you can't harass random women on the street. You're not Roy Orbison! (the singer of Oh, Pretty Woman).

However, the phrasal verb you need is "take after".

Do you take after your father or mother?

If you are talking about a particular feature, you can say, for example.

Mary has her father's red hair, but her mother's eyes.

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    The verb resemble can be used in this context as well, although I agree with your initial comment – making such an inquiry to a stranger would almost certainly be considered shockingly rude. On occasion, though, people might speak this way when remarking about the cuteness of a toddler: Mary’s face resembles her mother’s.
    – J.R. ♦
    Aug 1, 2018 at 10:24
  • +1. for take after
    – Tᴚoɯɐuo
    Aug 1, 2018 at 11:20
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In terms of politeness, manners, and etiquette, I don’t think there is a “right answer” to your question. At best, it’s a bad pickup line. At worst, it’s downright creepy.

In terms of English and grammar, though, I think this question is often asked beginning with a Where, rather than a Who:

Where did you get your good looks [from]?

For example, in one blog post, the writer asks:

One of the most common questions I get asked, other than "Where did you get your good looks from?" is "Have you always wanted to be a jeweller?"

(Note: I don’t think the author really gets asked that first question; I think it’s just an attempt at clever humor. However, it does provide a fitting example of how the question is sometimes phrased.)

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