A good compliment should be based on the truth. So the first thing is to pay attention and notice what that person has taken trouble over, is good at. For example: If you meet an attractive girl, rather than say right away, "Hey bb you're hot!"; you could perhaps tell her how elegantly coordinated her clothes are, or if she has elaborate eye make up then say it looks pretty. Naturally if you know someone then noting positive traits like being calm, patient, bright, smart, funny are all good. Compliments are easier if you spend time learning a good number of adjectives, then you can pick the right ones :)

Hi Ethan. There are many ways to compliment someone, depending on the context. You could say any number of things, such as "good job," "excellent work," "you look nice today," "I like your shirt," "what a great car," "you have nice eyes," "that color really suits you," "this meal is delicious," "I like your painting," "you have great skills," etc., etc. So, you see, the compliment depends on the particular situation you are in and on the thing you are complimenting.

I agree with Robert Davies, when you compliment someone, it should be the truth. Say compliments only if you really mean to say them. Good compliments to use could be: "You have good taste!" or "I like your style."=compliment their clothing style/choices "What a great ____"=compliment something specific (What a great scarf!) "I think you are ____" =compliment their character (I think you are intelligent. I think you are a kind person. I think you are very funny. I think you are insightful.) <--use adjectives to describe the person