Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| wunderschön | [ˌvʊndɐˈʃøːn] (narrow) | |
| hinreißend | ||
| umwerfend | colloquial |
All these terms describe something or someone that is very beautiful.
What does it mean word for word?
The word wunderschön is a compound of Wunder (wonder) and schön (beautiful), literally meaning 'wonderfully beautiful'. The word umwerfend is the present participle of umwerfen, which literally means 'to knock over' or 'to knock down', giving it the sense of being 'stunning' or a 'knockout'.
Which one should you use?
While all three words mean gorgeous, hinreißend often carries a more poetic or romantic connotation of being 'enchanting' or 'ravishing'. In contrast, umwerfend is more focused on a physical, high-energy impact, similar to being 'stunning'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Umwerfend is a colloquial term used to describe an appearance with high energy and enthusiasm. For a more formal context, you might use Prächtig, which means 'splendid' or 'gorgeous'.
How does it change in a sentence?
wunderschön can function as an adverbial adjective to modify other adjectives, such as in the phrase wunderschön groß (wonderfully large/great).
Did you know?
- The word hinreißend comes from reißen, which means 'to tear' or 'to rip'. It literally suggests that the beauty is so powerful it 'tears' you away from where you are.
- To say someone is 'stunningly beautiful', Germans might use atemberaubend, which literally means 'breath-robbing'.
- The word wunderschön shares its structural DNA with the Dutch word wonderschoon, following a similar Germanic pattern of compounding 'wonder' with 'beauty'.
Examples in context
- Du siehst umwerfend aus.You look gorgeous.This sentence shows how to use umwerfend to describe someone's look.Tatoeba #3023111 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2255035 by CK
- Du bist umwerfend schön!You're drop-dead gorgeous.This sentence uses umwerfend for strong emphasis on beauty.Tatoeba #7832581 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #7832578 by CK
- Sie sieht hinreißend aus.She's quite gorgeous.This sentence demonstrates the use of hinreißend to describe a person's appearance.Tatoeba #8826136 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #6948766 by shekitten
- Die Kulisse des Schlosses ist wunderschön!The scenery of the castle is gorgeous!
- Ihre Kleiderwahl ist herrlich.Your choice of clothing is splendid.
- Die Blumen in deinem Garten sind einfach herrlich.The flowers in your garden are simply gorgeous.
- 19 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sarah and Lukas are looking at a view from a mountain top.
- SarahDie Aussicht hier oben ist wunderschön.The view up here is gorgeous.
- LukasJa, das stimmt, es ist traumhaft.Yes, that's true, it's dreamlike.
- SarahIch bin so froh, dass wir gekommen sind.I am so glad that we came.
- LukasDas kann ich absolut verstehen.I can absolutely understand that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gorgeous” translations and entries wunderschön, hinreißend, umwerfend, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries wunderschön, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
