schön
beautiful, pretty, nice · nice, pleasant, good · nicely, well
Schön means 'beautiful', 'nice', or 'pretty'. It is used for things, people, and situations that are pleasing. Germans also use it as an adverb to mean 'nicely' or 'well', and in phrases like 'danke schön' (thank you very much).
What schön means
- beautiful, pretty, nice — describing appearance, weather, places, or things that please the senses
- nice, pleasant, good — describing experiences, events, or situations
- nicely, well — used as an adverb to describe how an action is done
Heard in real German videos
Lines where schön was actually spoken, from German videos watched with DeutschChat.
- Oh, das ist schön.Oh, that's nice.
- Ein schöner Abend, oder?A nice evening, isn't it?
- Es ist ein schöner sonniger Tag.It's a nice sunny day.
Example sentences
- Das Wetter ist heute schön.The weather is nice today.
- Sie hat ein schönes Kleid an.She is wearing a beautiful dress.
- Wir hatten einen schönen Abend.We had a lovely evening.
- Schlaf schön!Sleep well!
Grammar
| Comparative | schöner |
|---|---|
| Superlative | am schönsten |
Schön takes normal adjective endings: ein schöner Tag, eine schöne Frau, ein schönes Haus.
Common phrases
- danke schönthank you very much
- bitte schönyou're welcome; here you go
- schön machento make nice, to decorate
- schön weitermachenkeep up the good work
The mistake English speakers make
English speakers often confuse 'schön' with 'schon' (already). Remember: schön has an umlaut and means 'nice'; schon means 'already'.
Don’t confuse it with
- schon — Schon means 'already' or 'really' and is an adverb, while schön is an adjective meaning 'beautiful' or 'nice'.
- hübsch — Hübsch means 'pretty' and is used mainly for people and small things, while schön is more general and can mean 'beautiful' or 'nice'.
Questions learners ask
What is the difference between 'schön' and 'hübsch'?
Schön means 'beautiful' or 'nice' and is used broadly. Hübsch means 'pretty' and is often used for people, especially women, and small attractive things.
How do you say 'very beautiful' in German?
You can say 'sehr schön' or use the stronger word 'wunderschön'.
What does 'danke schön' literally mean?
It literally means 'thank you nicely', but it is the standard way to say 'thank you very much'.