German Phrase
Ein Nachtisch wäre schön.
Meaning
Literally ‘A dessert would be nice.’ The sentence is a courteous way to suggest or request a dessert, implying that it would make the meal better.
When to use
Use this phrase in a restaurant, at a dinner party, or when you’re ordering coffee and cake. It’s perfect for politely indicating that you’d like to add a sweet finish to the meal without sounding demanding.
✦Grammar Breakdown
EinNachtischwäreschön.
Ein (indefinite article)
‘Ein’ is the masculine nominative indefinite article, used here because ‘Nachtisch’ is masculine.
Nachtisch (masculine noun)
‘Nachtisch’ means ‘dessert’ and is a masculine noun, so it takes ‘ein’ in the nominative case.
wäre (Konjunktiv II of sein)
‘wäre’ is the subjunctive II form of ‘sein’, used to make a polite, hypothetical statement (“would be”).
schön (predicative adjective)
When an adjective follows ‘sein’, it stays in its base form – no ending is added.
🗨In Conversation
Möchten Sie noch etwas trinken?
Would you like something else to drink?
Ein Nachtisch wäre schön.
A dessert would be nice.
✕Common Mistakes
Ein Nachtisch ist schön.
‘ist’ states a fact; using it makes the sentence sound like a statement rather than a polite suggestion.
Eine Nachtisch wäre schön.
‘Nachtisch’ is masculine, so the correct article is ‘ein’, not ‘eine’.
Ein Nachtisch wäre schönlich.
‘schönlich’ is not a German word; the correct adjective is ‘schön’.
↔Alternatives
Ein Dessert wäre nett.
A dessert would be nice.
Ein Nachtisch wäre toll.
A dessert would be great.
Ich hätte gern einen Nachtisch.
I would like a dessert.
Cultural Tip
In Germany, ‘Kaffee und Kuchen’ (coffee and cake) is a beloved afternoon tradition, but dessert is also common after a main meal. Using the Konjunktiv II (‘wäre’) makes the request sound polite and indirect, which is appreciated in formal dining settings.