Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| gut | /ɡuːt/ (standard) /ɡʊt/ (colloquial) |
| schön | /ʃøːn/ |
| angenehm | /ˈʔanɡəˌneːm/ /ˈanɡeˌneːm/ |
When used as an adjective, gut means pleasant or enjoyable. It is also the direct translation for the English word 'good', often referring to quality, skill or moral goodness. Other related forms include the noun Gut, which refers to an item of merchandise and das Gute, which refers to the forces of good.
Which one should you use?
While gut is the direct translation for 'good', it often refers to quality, skill or moral goodness. If you want to say something is 'good' in the sense of being 'pleasant' or 'lovely' regarding weather or experiences, schön is more frequently used. For a more formal and precise way to say 'pleasant' or 'agreeable', use angenehm.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Southern Germany, the word Mahlzeit is used as an informal greeting during lunchtime, meaning 'mealtime' or 'enjoy your meal'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, gut must take different endings depending on the gender and case of the noun it modifies. For example, use Gute for feminine or plural nouns in certain cases.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡuːt/
When do people say it?
Standard German greetings include Guten Tag for 'good day' or 'good afternoon', Guten Morgen specifically for 'good morning' and Guten Abend to wish someone a 'good evening'.
Did you know?
- The German word angenehm is built from a root that shares an ancestor with the Sanskrit word namaste, which is used to express salutations.
- The word gut can be used as a noun to refer to merchandise or goods. When capitalized as Gut, it changes from an adjective describing quality to a noun describing physical property.
Examples in context
- Es war so gut.It was so good.Tatoeba #10246473 by wolfgangth, translation #3824353 by CK
- Ist Tom so gut?Is Tom that good?Tatoeba #3362553 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #3360579 by CK
- Das war zu gut!That was too good.Tatoeba #3424568 by Esperantostern, translation #12459439 by sundown
- 6556 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is relaxing in a park after a walk.
- HannahEs ist so gut, hier zu sitzen.It is so good to sit here.
- MaximilianJa, die Luft ist sehr gut.Yes, the air is very good.
- HannahDer Tag war wirklich gut.The day was really good.
- MaximilianDas finde ich auch, Hannah.I think so too, Hannah.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good” translations and entries gut, schön, angenehm, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries angenehm, gut, schön, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
