Dialogue

Vocabulary

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Lesson Transcript

Michael: What does the word, schon, mean?
Anja: How do German speakers use it?
Michael: At GermanPod101.com, we hear these questions often.
The following situation is typical. Ben Lee, a college student, has apologized to his friend, Hanna Hanselmann, for something minor. In response, she says,
"It's okay."
Hanna Hanselmann: Es ist schon ok.
Ben Lee: Es tut mir leid.
Hanna Hanselmann: Es ist schon ok.
Michael: Once more with the English translation.
Ben Lee: Es tut mir leid.
Michael: I'm sorry.
Hanna Hanselmann: Es ist schon ok.
Michael: It's okay.
Let's take a closer look at her response.
Do you remember how Hanna Hanselmann says,
"It's okay."
[Pause 5 seconds]
Hanna Hanselmann: Es ist schon ok.
Michael: This literally means "It's already okay." But it translates as "It's okay."
Anja: Es ist schon ok.
Michael: The word,
Anja: schon,
Michael: means "already" or "yet" and plays an important role in this sentence. It has the effect of making the sentence friendlier, softer, or adding emphasis.
When Hanna says,
Anja: Es ist schon ok.
Michael: Think of it like she's saying, "It's already okay." Or, "It became okay immediately, even before I had a chance to respond." Or, "It's okay, it has already been forgiven and forgotten." Or, "It was okay even before you apologized."
Of course,
Anja: schon
Michael: can also just mean something like "yet" or "already." For example,
Anja: Es ist schon spät
Michael: means "It's already late."
Here are a few more examples of the word being used to soften, add emphasis, or to make the statement more colorful.
Let's look at some examples of people using it in this way.
Anja AS YANNEK YOUNG
Schon gut.
Michael: "Already good." When used in an informal context, this can also translate as "It's okay," "All good," or "Apology accepted." If said in a more curt way,
Anja AS MARIA MAYER
Schon gut
Michael: can have the feeling of "Okay, let's not talk about it anymore and move on." The next example is
Anja: Schon besser.
"Already better." You may hear this, for example, if you receive feedback on something like a project or a report, make changes, and then present the revised version to your teacher or boss.
Again, this can come across in different ways depending on how it's said. If said in a slow, curt way, with the emphasis on the
Anja: schon,
Michael: it can come across as "Better, but not good enough." But said in a friendly way, it can come across as uplifting and positive. In this case, it can translate as "This is already much better."
If you want to step up your German game a little, try the idiom
Anja: Die Sache ist schon gegessen.
Michael: This literally means "The thing has already been eaten." It's an idiom that actually means a negative incident has already been forgotten. Try using it the next time one of your German friends apologizes for something!
Michael: Let's review. Respond to the prompts by speaking aloud. Then repeat after the German speaker, focusing on pronunciation.
Do you remember how Hanna Hanselmann says,
"It's okay."
[Beep. Pause 5 seconds.]
Anja: Es ist schon ok.
Michael: Listen to the native speaker and repeat.
Anja: Es ist schon ok.
[Beep. Pause 5 seconds.]
Es ist schon ok.
Michael: And how to say
"Already good."
[Beep. Pause 5 seconds.]
Anja: Schon gut.
Michael: Listen to the native speaker and repeat.
Anja: Schon gut.
[Beep. Pause 5 seconds.]
Schon gut.
Michael: And how to say
"Already better."
[Beep. Pause 5 seconds.]
Anja: Schon besser.
Michael: Listen to the native speaker and repeat.
Anja: Schon besser.
[Beep. Pause 5 seconds.]
Schon besser.
Michael: Now, here's one last insider hint. Be careful not to confuse
Anja: schon
Michael: with
Anja: schön
Michael: with an umlaut over the "o." This means, "beautiful!"
Michael: Great job. Now you know how to use the German word, shon. That's all there is to it!
Be sure to download the lesson notes for this lesson at GermanPod101.com — and move onto the next lesson!

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