German Phrase
So um die 20 Grad.
Meaning
The sentence means ‘about 20 degrees.’ It is a casual way to give an approximate temperature, often used in everyday conversation about the weather.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to give a rough estimate of the temperature, especially in informal settings like chatting with friends or answering a quick weather‑related question.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Soumdie20Grad.
So (Filler)
Used as a filler or softener, similar to 'well' or 'so' in English, often introducing an estimate.
um die + number
The construction 'um die' means 'around/about' when followed by a number, indicating an approximation.
die (definite article)
Here 'die' is the definite article for the plural noun 'Grad' (degrees), literally 'the 20 degrees.'
Grad (noun)
A masculine noun used as a measure of temperature; it stays singular in the phrase '20 Grad.'
Number pronunciation
The number 20 is spoken as 'zwanzig' and is treated as a cardinal number in measurements.
🗨In Conversation
Wie warm ist es heute?
How warm is it today?
So um die 20 Grad.
About 20 degrees.
✕Common Mistakes
So um die ungefähr 20 Grad.
‘ungefähr’ is correct, but learners often drop the article and say ‘ungefähr 20 Grad’ which is fine; the mistake is mixing ‘um die’ with ‘ungefähr’ in the same sentence, e.g., ‘so um die ungefähr 20 Grad.’
So um die zwanzig Grad.
When speaking informally, Germans usually say ‘zwanzig Grad’ without the article; adding ‘die’ is more formal and can sound stiff in casual chat.
So um die 20 Grades.
‘Grad’ does not take a genitive ending in this construction; ‘20 Grades’ is ungrammatical.
↔Alternatives
Etwa 20 Grad.
Approximately 20 degrees.
Rund 20 Grad.
Around 20 degrees.
Ungefähr 20 Grad.
Roughly 20 degrees.
Cultural Tip
In German, the phrase ‘um die’ is the go‑to way to express approximations. It works with numbers of any size (e.g., ‘um die 100 Euro’). Remember that ‘Grad’ is always capitalised because it’s a noun, and the number is usually spoken as a word – ‘zwanzig’ – rather than the digit ‘20’. In casual speech, you’ll also hear the shortened form ‘so um die 20’ without the final period.