German Phrase
Es ist ganz schön kalt.
Meaning
Literally, "It is quite pretty cold." In natural English this means "It’s pretty cold." The phrase conveys a moderate but noticeable chill, often used when the temperature is lower than expected but not extreme.
When to use
Use this sentence when talking about the weather, the temperature inside a room, or any situation where you want to comment on a noticeable chill. It’s a friendly, conversational way to describe the cold without sounding overly dramatic.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Esistganzschönkalt
Dummy subject "Es"
"Es" is used as a placeholder subject in German when there is no specific noun performing the action, especially with weather statements.
Verb "sein" (to be)
"ist" is the third‑person singular present form of "sein", linking the subject to the adjective phrase.
Intensifier "ganz"
"ganz" means "completely" or "quite" and softens or strengthens the following adjective.
"schön" as a colloquial intensifier
In everyday German, "schön" can function like "pretty" or "quite" before an adjective, adding a friendly tone.
Adjective "kalt" (cold)
"kalt" describes temperature; it stays unchanged after "sein" because it is used predicatively.
🗨In Conversation
Wie ist das Wetter heute?
How's the weather today?
Es ist ganz schön kalt.
It's pretty cold.
✕Common Mistakes
Es ist ganz kalt.
Missing "schön" changes the nuance; "ganz kalt" sounds more abrupt and less colloquial.
Es ist sehr schön kalt.
"schön" is not used with "sehr" in this context; it would be redundant.
Es sind ganz schön kalt.
The verb must agree with the dummy subject "Es"; using "sind" would be incorrect.
↔Alternatives
Es ist ziemlich kalt.
It’s rather cold.
Es ist ziemlich kühl.
It’s fairly cool.
Es ist sehr kalt.
It’s very cold.
Es ist ein bisschen kalt.
It’s a little cold.
Cultural Tip
Germans love to talk about the weather, and "ganz schön" adds a casual, slightly upbeat tone. It’s less strong than "sehr" (very) and more expressive than just "kalt". In northern Germany you’ll hear this phrase often in the early spring or late autumn, when the temperature is chilly but not freezing.