How to Say "Nevermind" in German

schon gut

/ʃoːn ɡuːt/word by word

In German, 'nevermind' is expressed as schon gut.

The phrase is used to dismiss a concern or to indicate that a previous problem or mistake is no longer relevant.

What does it mean word for word?

Literally, schon gut translates to "already good".

While schon gut can mean "nevermind" in the sense of "forget it," it is also used to mean "it's okay" when accepting an apology.

/ʃoːn ɡuːt/

The word schon evolved from meaning 'beautifully' or 'completely' to its modern use as 'already' or 'indeed'. This is a similar linguistic path to how the English word 'pretty' moved from 'cute' to 'considerably'.
The word gut is not only used in this phrase but is also the standard way to describe a 'good' grade in the German school system, where it is specifically the second-highest possible mark.
In some German dialects, particularly in the south, you might hear people use the word passt (it fits) to convey a similar sense of 'nevermind' or 'it is fine'.

Wo ist denn mein Portemonnaie? Ach, schon gut! Ich habe es gerade unter dem Sofa gefunden.
Where is my wallet? Nevermind! I just found it under the couch.
This sentence shows how to use schon gut when a lost item is found.
Tatoeba #3147739 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #3054705 by DostKaplan
Ach, schon gut, es ist nicht wichtig.
Oh, nevermind, it is not important.
Du hast den Schlüssel vergessen? Schon gut.
You forgot the key? Nevermind.

A man apologizes to a woman for being late with a small task.

Sources

IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (schon, gut) and can differ in connected speech.
Word origins: Wiktionary entries gut, schon, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.

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