heiß
/haɪ̯s/
The German word for hot is heiß.
heiß is used to describe something that has a high temperature. While it can also be used to describe sexual attractiveness, it is the standard term for high heat.
Meaning: having a high temperature (adj)
Which one should you use?
While heiß can refer to both high temperature and physical attractiveness, it remains the primary word for heat-related contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
/haɪ̯s/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly say Ich bin heiß to mean they feel hot. However, this implies sexual arousal. To correctly express that you personally feel the heat from the temperature, use the construction mir ist heiß.
Did you know?
- The expression heiß auf etwas sein means to be very eager or keen on something, similar to 'dying for' something in English.
- The English word 'hot' and the German word heiß are linguistic cousins, both descending from the same Proto-West Germanic root.
- While heiß describes temperature, the word hitze is used for 'heat' as a noun and often carries a negative connotation of oppressive or unbearable weather.
Examples in context
- Er mag es heiß.He likes it hot.This sentence shows how to use heiß to describe a preference for temperature.Tatoeba #9985659 by wolfgangth, translation #8479264 by CH
- Wie heiß ist es?How hot is it?This sentence uses heiß to ask about the current temperature.Tatoeba #6641439 by Felixjp, translation #2835780 by CK
- Ist Tom zu heiß?Is Tom hot?This sentence uses heiß to ask about a person's temperature or state.Tatoeba #6643371 by Felixjp, translation #2244605 by CK
- Die Suppe ist heiß.The soup is hot.
- Es ist draußen sehr heiß heute.It is very hot outside today.
- Dieses Auto ist der Hammer!This car is hot!
- Die Kohlen sind glühend.The coals are hot.
- Sein Gesicht wurde glühend rot.His face turned hot red.
- 766 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian and Sarah are sitting in a cafe on a summer afternoon.
- MaximilianIst dein Kaffee zu heiß, Sarah?Is your coffee too hot, Sarah?
- SarahNein, er ist perfekt.No, it is perfect.
- MaximilianEs ist heute wirklich heiß im Café.It is really hot in the cafe today.
- SarahJa, Maximilian, wir brauchen Schatten.Yes, Maximilian, we need shade.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hot” translations and entries heiß, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries heiß, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
