schon

See also: Schon and schön

German

Etymology 1

From Middle High German schōne (“beautifully; appropriately; completely”), from Old High German scōno (“beautifully”), adverb of scōni, whence German schön (“beautiful”). For sense development from "beautiful" to "indeed, surely; already" compare English pretty.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃoːn/ (standard)

• Audio (Germany):

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• Audio (Germany):

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• IPA^(key): /ʃɔn/ (alternatively in central and southern Germany and in Austria)

• Audio (Austria):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -oːn, -ɔn

Adverb

schon

1. already (happening rather early, continuing rather long)

   Es ist erst 11 Uhr und schon über 30 Grad im Schatten.

   It’s only 11 a.m. and already more than 30 degrees (°C) in the shade.

   Er ist schon seit drei Wochen krank.

   He’s been sick for three weeks already.

2. previously, before (at some time in the past; but not: before a certain event)

   Ich erinnere mich, dass wir solche Fälle schon hatten.

   I remember that we had such cases before.

3. expresses that an action has been completed; already (but more frequent); yet (in questions)

   Wir sind spät dran, aber diesen Stapel haben wir immerhin schon bearbeitet.

   We’re running late, but at least we’ve (already) finished this pile.

   Hast du dir schon die Zähne geputzt?

   Have you brushed your teeth yet?

4. (modal particle) expresses a weighing of arguments, contrast between two statements, partial agreement, concession; admittedly; sure(ly); definitely; indeed

   Man sollte Kinder nicht bestrafen. — Man sollte Kinder schon bestrafen, nur eben sinnvoll.

   One shouldn’t punish children. — One should definitely punish children, but wisely.

   Niedrige Steuern heben den Konsum. — Das ist schon richtig, aber...

   Low taxes increase consumption. — That is admittedly true, but...

   Du merkst doch auch, dass ich Recht habe? — Ja, schon.

   You do see I’m right, don’t you? — Yeah, I guess.

5. Used to add positive emphasis to a verb (which is frequently omitted), often when something else is negated. Compare si/sí/sì/sim in the Romance languages and wel in Dutch and Afrikaans.

   Antonym: nicht

   Ich rauche nicht, aber du schon.

   I don't smoke, but you do.

   Mach die Glocke bei mir aus, wenn du weniger am Handy sein willst, aber abonnieren kannst du mich schon.

   Turn off the bell on my channel if you want to spend less time on your phone, but you can still subscribe to me.

   • 2022 February 15, calor209, r/Austria‎^[1] (Reddit post):

     warum musste dein Vormieter seine Einrichtung nicht rausnehmen aber du schon?

     Why didn't your previous tenant have to remove their furnishings but you do?

     (Can we archive this URL?)

   • 2026 April 14, Xenoradcd, r/Beichtstuhl‎^[2] (Reddit post):

     Erbärmlich es so nötig zu haben um den Tag extra danach auszurichten. Armselig wie du versuchst es dir schön zu reden. Nicht alle Männer, aber du schon. Und jeder/jede der ihn verteidigt auch.

     (Can we archive this URL?)

6. really (as an intensifier)

   Das ist schon etwas merkwürdig. ― That’s really a little strange.

Usage notes

• In order to emphasize schon in the sense of “already”, another fitting adverb of time is usually added: “Are you done already?” → Bist du jetzt schon fertig? Stressing schon itself is also possible but less common. In the sense "admittedly, indeed", however, schon is commonly stressed.

Synonyms

• (already, yet): bereits
• (admittedly, surely): doch, ja, jawohl, wirklich

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “already”): erst

Derived terms

• schon mal

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃoːn/
• Rhymes: -oːn

Verb

schon

1. singular imperative of schonen
2. (colloquial) first-person singular present of schonen

Further reading

• “schon” in Duden online
• “schon”, in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache‎^[3] (in German)

Middle English

Etymology 1

From Old English sċōġan, sċeōġan, sċōġean, sċōan, from Proto-West Germanic *skōhōn, *skōgōn, from Proto-Germanic *skōhōną, *skōgōną. Equivalent to scho (“shoe”) +‎ -en (infinitival suffix).

Alternative forms

• scho, schoen, schoo, schoyn, sho, shoen, shoiȝen, shon, shoo

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃoːn/, /ˈʃoːən/
• Rhymes: -oːn

Verb

schon (third-person singular simple present schoeth, present participle schoynge, first-/third-person singular past indicative and past participle schodde)

1. To shoe; to put shoes on one's feet.
2. To put horseshoes on a horse's hooves.
3. To cover up; to clothe or conceal.

Conjugation

Conjugation of schon (weak in -de)

infinitive	(to) schoen, schoe
	present tense	past tense
1st-person singular	schoe	schodde
2nd-person singular	schoest	schoddest
3rd-person singular	schoeth	schodde
subjunctive singular	schoe
imperative singular		—
plural1	schoen, schoe	schodden, schodde
imperative plural	schoeth, schoe	—
participles	schoynge, schoende	schod, yschod

¹ Sometimes used as a formal 2nd-person singular.

Descendants

• English: shoe
• Scots: shae
• Yola: shad (preterite)

References

• “shọ̄n, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 8 May 2018.

Etymology 2

From Old English scōn, scōum (“shoes”, dative plural) and scōna (“shoes'”, genitive plural), perhaps motivated by the analogy of other monosyllabic nouns ending in a vowel which etymologically take plurals in -en such as be (“bee”), do (“doe”), fo (“foe, enemy”), ro (“roe”), slo (“sloe”) and to (“toe”); thus equivalent to scho +‎ -en (plural suffix).

Compare what may be the same analogy in fle (“flea”), kne (“knee”), and tre (“tree”), although other explanations are possible: fle could be remodelled on flye (“fly”), while kne, tre might be influenced by plural forms of the variants knew and trew, where -en would be expected (as a development from Old English cnēowu, trēowu with the opaque plural ending -e < -u replaced by more transparent -en, as seen in early cneowen, treowen).

Alternative forms

• shon

Noun

schon

1. plural of scho (“shoe”)

   Synonym: schos

Descendants

• English: shoon (obsolete)
• Scots: shuin
• Yola: shoone, shoon