sonnig
/ˈzɔnɪç/
The English word "sunny" can be translated into German as sonnig. Wiktionary also lists heiter.
Meaning: weather, day (adj)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| sonnig | /ˈzɔnɪç/ /ˈsɔnɪk/ |
| heiter | /ˈhaɪ̯tɐ/ |
sonnig refers specifically to the presence of sunshine.
Which one should you use?
While sonnig refers specifically to the presence of sun, heiter is used to describe a bright, clear and pleasant sky or mood.
How does it change in a sentence?
It takes the -e ending in the nominative feminine singular, such as eine sonnige Aussicht and the -en ending in the accusative masculine singular, such as einen sonnigen Tag.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈzɔnɪç/
Did you know?
- The word heiter shares a distant ancestor with the Sanskrit word citra, which means 'bright' or 'wonderful'.
- The term heiter can also be used in a musical context to describe a piece of music that sounds bright and airy.
- The word Sonne inside sonnig is feminine in German, unlike the English 'sun' which has no grammatical gender.
Examples in context
- Das Wetter ist sonnig.The weather is sunny.This sentence shows how to use sonnig to describe the weather.Tatoeba #3853862 by Esperantostern, translation #1766694 by AlanF_US
- Ich mag sonnige Morgen.I like sunny mornings.This sentence shows how to use sonnig with plural nouns.Tatoeba #10127554 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #10127528 by DJ_Saidez
- Es ist ein sonniger Tag.It's a sunny day.This sentence shows how to use sonnig to describe a day.Tatoeba #787454 by Hans_Adler, translation #278889 by CK
- Das heutige Wetter ist strahlend sonnig!Today's weather is radiantly sunny!
- 50 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julian and Sarah are talking about their weekend plans in the kitchen.
- JulianIst es draußen sonnig?Is it sunny outside?
- SarahJa, der Himmel ist ganz klar.Yes, the sky is quite clear.
- JulianDann sollten wir einen Spaziergang machen.Then we should go for a walk.
- SarahDas ist eine gute Idee, Julian.That is a good idea, Julian.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sunny” translations and entries sonnig, heiter, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries heiter, sonnig, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
