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
schön
nice
Describes an experience, a time, or a feeling as pleasant, enjoyable, or good.
EXAMPLE
Wir hatten einen schönen Urlaub am Meer.
We had a nice vacation by the sea.
schön
quite / very
Used as an adverb, often colloquially, to intensify an adjective or adverb in the sense of 'quite' or 'very'.
EXAMPLE
Es ist schon schön spät geworden.
It has gotten quite late already.
danke schön / bitte schön
thank you / you're welcome
Part of polite formulas used to express thanks or a response to thanks.
EXAMPLE
„Hier ist Ihr Kaffee.“ – „Danke schön!“
'Here is your coffee.' — 'Thank you very much!'
na schön
all right then
A particle expressing reluctant agreement or resignation.
EXAMPLE
Na schön, dann machen wir es eben auf deine Art.
All right then, we'll do it your way.
schön und gut
all well and good
An idiom that acknowledges an argument or situation while at the same time introducing an objection or problem.
EXAMPLE
Deine Idee ist ja schön und gut, aber wie sollen wir das bezahlen?
Your idea is all well and good, but how are we supposed to pay for it?
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 is a neutral intensifier and fits almost any register. Schön can also intensify an adjective colloquially, but it depends more strongly on the situation and the way something is expressed. Sehr is suitable in a neutral statement; in a casual conversation, schön can be used in a similar way.
schön
Zieh eine Jacke an, denn draußen ist es heute schön kalt.
Put on a jacket, because it’s really cold outside today.
sehr
Der Wetterbericht meldet, dass es heute sehr kalt wird.
The weather forecast says it will be very cold today.
In real life
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