🔄🛣️

How to Say ‘Quite a detour’ in German

Ein ganz schöner Umweg

ine gahnts SHUR-ner UHM-veyg

[ine gahnts SHUR-ner UHM-veyg]

💬 Usage Tip: ganz schön doesn't mean "quite pretty" here. It means "pretty, really" as in "a lot of": ganz schön teuer "pretty expensive".

Phrase Breakdown

Ein ganz schöner

ine gahnts SHUR-ner

Quite a (big)

Here 'ganz schön' is colloquial for 'quite' or 'pretty big', not 'beautiful'. The 'ö' is said with rounded lips.

Example

Das ist ein ganz schöner Aufwand.

That's quite a lot of effort.

Words in this phrase

Ein

[ine]

The indefinite article 'ein'.

Example

Ich brauche ein Auto.

I need a car.

ganz

[gahnts]

quite

An intensifier meaning quite or pretty, often used informally for emphasis.

Example

Ganz schön laut für ein Gespräch, findest du nicht?

Quite loud for a conversation, don't you think?

schöner

[SHUR-ner]

considerable / quite a

Colloquially 'schön' can intensify: quite big.

Example

Das ist ein ganz schöner Preis.

That's quite a price.

Umweg

[UHM-veyg]

detour

A longer route that takes people around an obstruction.

Example

Wir haben einen Umweg gemacht.

We made a detour.

Guides for German learners

Duolingo vs Pimsleur: Tapping on a Screen or Talking Out Loud?Duolingo vs Pimsleur: five minutes of tapping versus thirty minutes of speaking. What each is good at, what each costs, and which to pick for your goal.

Get the Full Learning Experience

This lesson is just a preview. Download PrettyFluent to practice pronunciation, roleplay conversations, and master vocabulary with spaced repetition.

Pronunciation Feedback

AI-powered feedback on what you say out loud

Spaced Repetition

Retain vocabulary long-term with smart practice

Immersive Roleplaying

Practice real conversations with AI partners

Lessons for Your Situation

Request lessons tailored to your specific needs

Get Full Lesson

What Learners Are Saying

“Berlin bureaucracy requires real German. This app got me from zero to handling my Anmeldung appointment in three weeks. My coworkers couldn’t believe it.”

Emma L., 27, UX Researcher

“Relocated to Munich with my family. The everyday scenarios — grocery shopping, doctor visits, school meetings — are exactly what we needed to settle in.”

Marcus J., 40, Engineer

“Learning a language has never been as immediately impactful. Now I can charm the locals and navigate the food scene like a boss.”

Alex M., 42, Software Engineer