The German word for beautiful is schön (shœn, with the rounded ö of French "peu"). Das ist schön means that's beautiful, or simply that's nice. For something stunning, say wunderschön; for a pretty person or object, hübsch. Before a noun, schön takes an ending: ein schöner Tag, eine schöne Stadt, ein schönes Haus.
- Beautiful, nice
- schön
- Stunning
- wunderschön
- Pretty
- hübsch
- Good-looking
- gut aussehend
- Level
- A1
Schön, wunderschön or hübsch: which word fits?
Schön covers far more than English beautiful: a view, the weather, an evening, a person, an idea. Hübsch is lighter, closer to pretty, and is used most often for women, children and things.
| German | English | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| schön | beautiful, nice, lovely | Almost anything |
| wunderschön | gorgeous, stunning | A landscape, a wedding dress, a moment |
| hübsch | pretty | A person, a dress, a little town |
| gut aussehend | good-looking | Usually men |
| herrlich | glorious, wonderful | Weather, a view, a holiday |
| toll | great, amazing | Casual praise for anything |
| süß | cute, sweet | Babies, pets, small gestures |
A neighbour in a Contos A1 story shows how flexible schön is: it describes an envelope, and he says it twice, with a pause that makes the heroine suspicious.
"Schöner Umschlag", sagt er langsam.Why does schön change its ending?
German adjectives take an ending when they come before a noun, and no ending when they come after a verb like sein. The same chapter uses both versions about the same envelope:
Der Umschlag ist sehr schön.| German | Gender | English |
|---|---|---|
| ein schöner Tag | Masculine | a beautiful day |
| eine schöne Stadt | Feminine | a beautiful city |
| ein schönes Haus | Neuter | a beautiful house |
| schöne Blumen | Plural | beautiful flowers |
| Die Stadt ist schön. | After sein | The city is beautiful. (no ending) |
In a Contos B2 story, a confectioner chalks a slogan outside his shop. Schön has no ending, because it follows ist:
Auf der Kreidetafel davor stand: "Gutes Brot ist schön. Gute Torte ist Kunst."How do you compliment someone in German?
Compliments on looks are more reserved in German than in English, especially with people you call Sie. Praising a thing, or how something suits the person, is the safe route.
Du siehst toll aus!
You look great!
du: a friend before a party.
Du bist wunderschön.
You're beautiful.
Romantic: a partner.
Das Kleid steht Ihnen sehr gut.
That dress really suits you.
Sie: polite and safe.
Sie haben eine wunderschöne Wohnung.
You have a beautiful flat.
Sie: to a host.
Schön, dass du da bist!
So glad you're here!
Here schön means nice, not beautiful.
Schön also hides in everyday set phrases: Danke schön and Bitte schön, Schönen Tag noch! (have a nice day), Schönes Wochenende! and, at the end of an email, Schöne Grüße (best wishes). And for food, Germans reach for a different word altogether: see how to say delicious in German.
Read The Letters of Mrs. Hoffmann at A1: an envelope, an anonymous writer, and every word one tap from its meaning.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
How do you pronounce schön?
Say "shayn" with your lips rounded as if for "oo". That gives the German ö. If you can't make it yet, "shern" without the r (as in British English) is closer than "shown".
Can you call a man hübsch?
Yes, but it sounds a little boyish. Gut aussehend (good-looking) or attraktiv are more usual for men; schön works too, especially in a romantic context.
What does Na schön mean?
Fine, then, said with a sigh. Na schön, dann gehen wir eben zu Fuß means fine, we'll walk then. The tone is reluctant agreement, nothing to do with beauty.
What is the noun for beauty?
Die Schönheit. The suffix -heit turns adjectives into feminine nouns, as in Freiheit (freedom) from frei and Gesundheit (health) from gesund.