German · People & Family

"Sweetheart (honey)" in German: Schatz / Liebling

Schatz / Liebling

Say it: SHAHTS / LEEB-lingnoun/ʃats/ / ˈliːplɪŋ/

Sweetheart in German is Schatz or Liebling. Soft couples use Schatz most; Liebling sounds gently affectionate.

Soft hello

Hallo Schatz, wie war dein Tag?
Hi sweetheart, how was your day?
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How to pronounce Schatz / Liebling

Say it

SHAHTS / LEEB-ling

/ʃats/ / ˈliːplɪŋ/

SHAHTS / LEEB-ling. Schatz with ts; Liebling stress on Lieb.

"Sweetheart (honey)" in German: quick reference

GermanEnglish
Schatztreasure / sweetheart

Most common.

Lieblingdarling / favorite

Warm alternative.

Schatzisweetie

Playful.

mein Schatzmy sweetheart

With possessive.

How to use Schatz / Liebling in real life

  1. 1Soft hello

    Hallo Schatz, wie war dein Tag?

    Hi sweetheart, how was your day?

    Schatz alone.

  2. 2Comfort

    Alles gut, Liebling. Ich bin da.

    It's all okay, sweetheart. I'm here.

    Liebling.

  3. 3Leaving a note

    Für dich, Schatz—Kaffee ist fertig.

    For you, sweetheart—coffee is ready.

    Schatz.

Mistakes English speakers make with Schatz / Liebling

Incorrect: Hallo sweetheart

Correct: Hallo Schatz / Liebling

Use German pet names.

Incorrect: meine Schatz

Correct: mein Schatz

Schatz takes masculine mein.

Good to know

Schatz is everywhere in German couple-speak. Liebling can also mean favorite (Lieblingsbuch), so tone marks the sweetheart sense. Soft public use is common and not overly dramatic.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

A quiet evening check-in

  1. ChatPal

    Alles okay, Schatz?

    Everything okay, sweetheart?

  2. You

    Ja, Liebling. Nur müde.

    Yes, sweetheart. Just tired.

  3. ChatPal

    Dann ruh dich aus, Schatz.

    Then rest, sweetheart.

  4. You

    Danke, Liebling. Du bist der Beste.

    Thanks, sweetheart. You're the best.

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"Sweetheart (honey)" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Sweetheart (honey)" in German

Schatz vs Liebling?

Both work; Schatz is the most common sweetheart word.

With mein?

Mein Schatz; mein Liebling.

Is Liebling only romantic?

No—also favorite; context decides.

Playful form?

Schatzi.

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