German · Food & Drink

"Sweet" in German: süß

süß

Say it: ZEESSadjective/zyːs/

Sweet in German is süß. Say Der Kuchen ist süß for taste. With people or pets, süß often means cute rather than sugary.

Dessert

Der Pudding ist mir zu süß.
The pudding is too sweet for me.
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How to pronounce süß

Say it

ZEESS

/zyːs/

ZEESS. Long ü like ee with rounded lips. Soft ß.

"Sweet" in German: quick reference

GermanEnglish
süßsweet / cute

Taste or affection.

zu süßtoo sweet

Dessert critique.

süßer Teesweet tea

Masculine nominative -er.

Wie süß!How sweet / cute!

Reaction to something adorable.

How to use süß in real life

  1. 1Dessert

    Der Pudding ist mir zu süß.

    The pudding is too sweet for me.

    Zu süß.

  2. 2Tea

    Möchtest du süßen Tee oder Natur?

    Do you want sweet tea or plain?

    Süßen = accusative masculine.

  3. 3Cute dog

    Schau, der Welpe ist so süß.

    Look, the puppy is so cute.

    Süß for cute.

Mistakes English speakers make with süß

Incorrect: Der Tee ist sweet.

Correct: Der Tee ist süß.

Use süß, not English sweet.

Incorrect: eine süß Katze

Correct: eine süße Katze

Feminine needs -e: süße.

Good to know

Calling a person süß can sound flirty or parent-like depending on tone. With food, Germans often warn zu süß before ordering desserts if they prefer less sugar.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Sharing cake at a café

  1. ChatPal

    Probier den Kuchen. Ist er süß genug?

    Try the cake. Is it sweet enough?

  2. You

    Ja, richtig süß. Ich nehme nur ein Stück.

    Yes, really sweet. I'll only take one piece.

  3. ChatPal

    Gut. Der Apfelkuchen ist weniger süß.

    Good. The apple cake is less sweet.

  4. You

    Dann teilen wir den vielleicht später.

    Then maybe we'll share that later.

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

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"Sweet" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Sweet" in German

How do you say sweet?

Süß.

Too sweet?

Zu süß.

Can süß mean cute?

Yes, especially for people, babies, and pets.

Feminine form?

Süße, as in eine süße Katze.

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