süß
/zyːs/
The German word for cute is süß.
süß is used to describe something or someone that is attractive or pleasing in a youthful, dainty, quaint or fun-spirited way. Much like in English, you can use it to describe a person's appearance or to describe an action or behavior as endearing or sweet, such as reacting to a kind gesture.
Meaning: attractive or pleasing in a youthful, dainty, quaint or fun-spirited way (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, süß means sweet in a culinary sense, but it is used idiomatically to mean cute.
Which one should you use?
While süß is used for a cute, youthful or endearing quality, it is not used to describe someone as attractive in a sophisticated or maturely sexy sense.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In southern Germany, particularly in Bavaria, the variant Schnuckelig is used to convey a sense of endearment and cuteness.
How does it change in a sentence?
When used as an attributive adjective, the form of süß changes based on the noun it precedes. It takes the ending -e before a feminine noun, such as eine süße Katze (a cute cat) and the ending -er before a masculine noun, such as ein süßer Hund (a cute dog).
How do you pronounce it?
/zyːs/
Did you know?
- To describe something as 'extremely cute', Germans often use the intensifier zuckersüß, which literally translates to 'sugar-sweet'.
- In Germany, calling a romantic partner Süße or Süßer functions as a pet name similar to calling someone 'honey' or 'sweetie' in English.
- In many German-speaking regions, calling a person süß can sound slightly patronizing or infantile if not used carefully.
Examples in context
- Das war so süß!That was so cute!This sentence shows how to use süß to react to a situation.Tatoeba #2558740 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2518518 by Hybrid
- Er ist ganz süß.He's kinda cute.This sentence shows how to use süß to describe a person.Tatoeba #6204532 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #3000973 by Hybrid
- Sie sah süß aus.She looked cute.Tatoeba #8759304 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #8312497 by Hybrid
- Sie ist so lieblich in diesem Kleid!She looks lovely in this dress!
- Das Baby ist wirklich niedlich.The baby is really cute.
- Das Kätzchen ist entzückend mit seinen blauen Augen.The kitten is enchanting with its blue eyes.
- Dein Hund ist so süß!Your dog is so cute!
- Die Stofftiere sehen so knuffig aus.The stuffed animals look so cuddly.
- Das Häuschen im Wald ist wirklich putzig.The house in the woods is really cute.
- Das Baby ist echt schnuckelig mit seinen rosigen Wangen.The baby is really cute with its rosy cheeks.
- 258 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Felix and Julia are looking at photos of a puppy.
- FelixSchau mal, Julia, ist der Welpe nicht süß?Look, Julia, isn't the puppy cute?
- JuliaJa, er ist total süß!Yes, he is totally cute!
- FelixIch möchte ihn unbedingt behalten.I really want to keep him.
- JuliaDas wäre wirklich toll.That would be really great.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry süß, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
