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schön
beautiful
Describes something that is aesthetically pleasing, pretty, or visually appealing.
example
Sie hat ein sehr schönes Kleid an.
She is wearing a very beautiful dress.
schön
beautiful / nice
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Intensifying adverb
As an adverb before another adjective or adverb, 'schön' (quite/very) does not mean 'in a beautiful way', but intensifies it in the sense of 'quite' or 'very'. This use is often colloquial.
EXAMPLE
Pass auf, die Suppe ist noch schön heiß.
Watch out, the soup is still nice and hot.
Introducing an objection
The idiom 'schön und gut' (all well and good) acknowledges an argument but always introduces an objection. It is almost always followed by 'aber' (but).
EXAMPLE
Dass du dich entschuldigst, ist ja schön und gut, aber der Schaden ist trotzdem da.
It's all well and good that you're apologizing, but the damage is still there.
Appearance vs. experience
'Schön' (beautiful/nice) can refer to appearance (aesthetics) or to an experience (feeling). A 'schönes Bild' (beautiful picture) is pretty to look at, while a 'schöner Tag' (nice day) was a pleasant day.
EXAMPLE
Das ist ein wirklich schönes Gemälde.
That is a truly beautiful painting.
Polite formulas
'Danke schön' (thank you very much) and 'bitte schön' (you're welcome / here you go) are fixed, polite expressions. The 'schön' intensifies the thanks or the friendly gesture here.
EXAMPLE
„Ich habe Ihnen einen Platz freigehalten.“ – „Oh, danke schön!“
'I saved you a seat.' — 'Oh, thank you very much!'
Reluctant agreement
The expression 'na schön' (all right then) signals that you accept something reluctantly or hesitantly. It means something like 'okay then' or 'if you insist'.
EXAMPLE
Na schön, dann räume ich eben alleine auf.
All right then, I'll clean up by myself.
Typical collocations
When referring to a pleasant experience, 'schön' (nice) is often combined with periods of time or events: 'ein schöner Urlaub' (a nice vacation), 'ein schönes Wochenende' (a nice weekend), 'ein schöner Abend' (a nice evening), 'ein schönes Gefühl' (a nice feeling).
EXAMPLE
Ich wünsche dir ein schönes Wochenende!
Have a nice weekend!
Compare with
schön vs sehr
very
'sehr' and 'schön' can both come before an adjective and make it stronger. 'sehr' is the normal, neutral intensifier: 'sehr warm' (very warm), 'sehr langsam' (very slow), 'sehr teuer' (very expensive). 'schön' as an intensifier is more colloquial and often sounds a bit more personal or casual, for example 'schön warm' (nice and warm) or 'schön ruhig' (nice and quiet). Important: 'schön' also means 'beautiful' or 'pleasant', so it can easily be confused. As an intensifier, 'schön' does not fit everywhere; 'sehr' is more general and safer.
schön
Im Park ist es heute schön ruhig.
It is nice and quiet in the park today.
sehr
Wegen des Wetters sind wir heute sehr müde.
Because of the weather, we are very tired today.
In real life
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