German · Nature, Animals & Weather

"Sun" in German: Sonne

die Sonne

Say it: ZON-uhfeminine · die Sonnenoun/ˈzɔnə/

Sun in German is die Sonne, feminine. Sunshine is der Sonnenschein. Enjoying the sun can be Sonne tanken, a playful phrase meaning to soak up sun.

Park talk

Die Sonne scheint endlich wieder!
The sun is finally shining again!
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How to pronounce Sonne

Say it

ZON-uh

/ˈzɔnə/

ZON-uh. Soft s that sounds like z at the start for many speakers, or a light s. Double n. Final e is uh. Stress the first syllable.

"Sun" in German: quick reference

GermanEnglish
die Sonnesun

The star / sunlight source.

der Sonnenscheinsunshine

Sunny light.

Sonne tankento soak up the sun

Casual summer phrase.

sonnigsunny

Weather adjective.

How to use Sonne in real life

  1. 1Park talk

    Die Sonne scheint endlich wieder!

    The sun is finally shining again!

    Scheinen is the verb for shine.

  2. 2Beach day

    Lass uns Sonne tanken!

    Let's soak up some sun!

    Playful and common.

  3. 3Warning a friend

    Die Sonne ist stark. Nimm Creme mit.

    The sun is strong. Take cream with you.

    Sonnencreme is sunscreen.

Mistakes English speakers make with Sonne

Incorrect: der Sonne

Correct: die Sonne

Sonne is feminine: die Sonne.

Incorrect: Die Sonne is scheinen.

Correct: Die Sonne scheint.

Conjugate scheinen: sie scheint.

Good to know

After grey winter weeks, Sonne becomes instant small talk. Beer gardens and Balcony mornings fill up as soon as the Sonne stays out. Sunscreen is Sonnencreme or Sonnenschutz.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Choosing a café table outside

  1. ChatPal

    Soll ich den Platz in der Sonne nehmen?

    Should I take the seat in the sun?

  2. You

    Ja, ich mag die Sonne heute.

    Yes, I like the sun today.

  3. ChatPal

    Ich auch. Die Sonne macht gute Laune.

    Me too. The sun puts me in a good mood.

  4. You

    Stimmt. Ohne Sonne wäre es kühl.

    True. Without sun it would be cool.

This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.

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"Sun" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Sun" in German

Is Sonne feminine?

Yes: die Sonne. Many beginners expect masculine from English patterns, but German differs.

How do you say the sun is shining?

Die Sonne scheint.

What does Sonne tanken mean?

To soak up sunshine, like charging your batteries in the sun.

How do you say sunny?

Sonnig: Heute ist es sonnig.

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