du siehst so schön aus
The English phrase "you look so beautiful" is expressed in German as du siehst so schön aus.
This phrase is a compliment used to tell someone that their current physical appearance is very attractive. It is important to note that du siehst so schön aus focuses on the current appearance or outfit, whereas saying du bist so schön refers more to a person's inherent beauty.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is built from the separable verb aussehen, which literally means "to look/appear" (to see out). Literally, the phrase translates as "you see so beautiful out".
Which one should you use?
While schön means beautiful, you can use toll in the phrase Du siehst toll aus to mean "You look great" or "wonderful". To increase the intensity of the compliment, you can use wunderschön (beautiful), bezaubernd (enchanting), umwerfend (stunning) or hinreißend (gorgeous or alluring).
How does it change in a sentence?
Use Sie sehen so schön aus when addressing someone formally or a stranger. If you are complimenting more than one person, use ihr seht so schön aus.
Did you know?
- If you want to tell someone they look 'stunning', you can use the word umwerfend, which literally comes from the verb meaning 'to knock someone over'.
- Complimenting a stranger's appearance in Germany is often viewed as more forward or intrusive than in the US or UK.
- The English word 'thou' is a direct linguistic relative of the German du, as both descend from the same Proto-Indo-European root.
Examples in context
- Du siehst so schön aus in diesem Kleid.You look so beautiful in this dress.
Example conversation
Lukas and Hannah are getting ready for a dinner date.
- LukasHannah, du siehst so schön aus!Hannah, you look so beautiful!
- HannahDanke, das ist sehr lieb von dir, Lukas.Thank you, that is very sweet of you, Lukas.
- LukasDas Kleid steht dir wirklich ausgezeichnet.The dress really suits you excellently.
- HannahIch bin ein bisschen nervös für unser Date.I am a little nervous for our date.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries aus, du, schön, so, CC BY-SA 4.0.
