Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| hübsch | /hʏpʃ/ |
| attraktiv | |
| nett | /nɛt/ |
| niedlich | [ˈniːtlɪç] (narrow) |
| schön | /ʃøːn/ |
In German, words for "pretty" are often used to describe the pleasant or attractive appearance of women and children. hübsch describes a pleasant or attractive appearance in a way that is often considered modest or sweet. While attraktiv can be used interchangeably with hübsch to express prettiness, other words like süß mean "cute" but can be used to imply someone is pretty in an endearing way.
Which one should you use?
The choice of word depends heavily on what you are describing and the intensity of the feeling. While hübsch means pretty, schön is a stronger term meaning beautiful and can be used for both people and objects. In contrast, niedlich is used for things that are cute or adorable, such as babies or small animals, rather than just being aesthetically pretty. If you want to describe a person's pleasant or kind personality rather than their physical looks, use nett (nice).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Bavarian dialect, people say Guad g'schaut to say that someone looks pretty.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
If you want to use "pretty" as an adverb meaning "quite" or "somewhat" (for example, "pretty good"), do not use hübsch. Instead, use ziemlich, leidlich or einigermaßen.
How do you pronounce it?
/hʏpʃ/
Did you know?
- The word hübsch originally meant 'courtly', stemming from the word for a royal court, Hof.
Examples in context
- Sie ist so hübsch!She's so pretty.This sentence is useful for expressing that a woman is pretty using the form hübsch.Tatoeba #12459052 by Waldelfe, translation #12079547 by Amastan
- Du bist sehr schön.You're very pretty.This sentence shows how to use the form schön to tell someone they are beautiful/pretty.Tatoeba #748681 by samueldora, translation #863589 by Daga007
- Das Haus ist schön.The house is pretty.This sentence demonstrates using the form schön to describe the beauty of an object like a house.Tatoeba #874055 by jakov, translation #392339 by YeshuaC
- Sie ist eine hübsche Frau.She is a pretty woman.
- Das Kleid ist wirklich hübsch.The dress is really pretty.
- Die Blumen sind attraktiv.The flowers are pretty.
- Diese Stadt ist so schön.This city is so pretty.
- Sie hat ein schönes Lächeln.She has a pretty smile.
- Du siehst heute hübsch aus!You look pretty today!
- Das ist ein hübsches Kleid.That's a pretty dress.
- Dein Haustier ist so süß.Your pet is so cute/pretty.
- Das Baby ist wirklich süß!The baby is really cute/pretty!
- Ich habe heute ein hübsches Bild gemalt.I painted a pretty picture today.
- Die Aussicht von hier oben ist einfach schön.The view from up here is simply beautiful.
- Du siehst in diesem Kleid wirklich attraktiv aus.You look really attractive in this dress.
- Mein neuer Kollege ist wirklich hübsch.My new colleague is really pretty.
- Die Landschaft in Bayern ist atemberaubend schön.The landscape in Bavaria is breathtakingly beautiful.
- 445 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Maximilian are discussing a new colleague at work.
- JuliaHast du die neue Kollegin gesehen?Have you seen the new colleague?
- MaximilianJa, sie ist sehr hübsch.Yes, she is very pretty.
- JuliaStimmt, sie wirkt sehr sympathisch.True, she seems very likable.
- MaximilianJulia, wir sollten sie morgen begrüßen.Julia, we should greet her tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pretty” translations and entries hübsch, attraktiv, nett, niedlich, schön, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries attraktiv, hübsch, nett, niedlich, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
