hübsche

Hübsche is a German adjective form derived from hübsch, meaning attractive or pretty. It is used to describe people, objects or scenes and can appear in attributive or predicative position. In everyday language, hübsch often conveys a charming or pleasing quality rather than grandeur.

Inflection and usage: When used attributively with a definite article, feminine singular takes die hübsche Frau, and plural with definite article is die hübschen Blumen. Without a determiner or with a strong/ mixed declension, the form can be hübsche for plural or feminine singular depending on gender and case, as in eine hübsche Frau or hübsche Blumen. Predicative use, as in Das Auto ist hübsch, does not require a special ending beyond the usual conjugation of sein. In everyday speech, hübsch can describe aesthetics beyond people, for example hübsche Blumen, hübsches Interieur, or hübscher Anblick.

Etymology: The adjective hübsch originates in the Middle High German form hübsche, with roots in the broader Germanic language family. The exact historical development is not fully resolved, but it belongs to a class of words meaning pleasing or handsome.

Usage notes: Hübsch is somewhat lighter and more casual than schön; it can imply charm or cuteness as well as plain attractiveness. The form hübsche can also appear as a noun in colloquial speech to refer to a group of attractive people, written as Hübsche, though this usage is informal.

Examples: Die hübsche Frau lächelte. Ein hübsches Auto stand vor dem Haus. Die hübschen Blumen schmücken den Garten. Die Hübschen verabredeten sich am Abend.