du bist schön
du bist schön is the German way to say "you're beautiful".
This phrase is a compliment used to tell someone that they are physically or aesthetically attractive.
Which one should you use?
The phrase du bist schön (beautiful) is generally considered a stronger and more profound compliment than du bist hübsch (pretty). You can also use du bist wunderschön to intensify the compliment, which means you are gorgeous or wonderfully beautiful.
How does it change in a sentence?
The formal version of the phrase uses the pronoun Sie and the verb form sind instead of du bist. To intensify the compliment in an informal way, you can add the prefix wunder- to schön to create du bist wunderschön.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers sometimes mistake schön for schon (already). Ensure you use the umlaut ö to avoid saying "you are already".
Did you know?
- The word du is a direct relative of the archaic English word 'thou'.
- Because du bist schön uses the informal du, using it with a stranger or a superior could be seen as overly intimate or even disrespectful.
- While schön means 'beautiful', it is also used in German to describe a 'nice' or 'pleasant' experience, such as ein schöner Tag for 'a nice day'.
Examples in context
- Niemand kümmert sich um dich, es sei denn, du bist schön, reich oder tot.Nobody cares about you unless you're beautiful, rich, or dead.This sentence uses du bist schön to illustrate a conditional statement about what people care about.Tatoeba #11912715 by carlosalberto, translation #11912702 by carlosalberto
- Du bist schön.You are beautiful.
- Ich liebe dich, denn du bist schön.I love you because you are beautiful.
Example conversation
Felix and Hannah are on a date.
- FelixDu siehst heute toll aus.You look great today.
- HannahDanke, das ist lieb von dir.Thanks, that is sweet of you.
- FelixIch meine es ehrlich, du bist schön.I mean it, you're beautiful.
- HannahDu machst mich gerade verlegen.You're making me blush.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bist, du, schön, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
