Süßes, sonst gibt's Saures
The German way to say "trick or treat" is Süßes, sonst gibt's Saures. If unsure, use Süßes, sonst gibt's Saures. Wiktionary also lists Streich oder Süßigkeiten.
Meaning: request for candy tied to an unstated light-hearted threat (intj)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| Süßes, sonst gibt's Saures | |
| Streich oder Süßigkeiten | /ʃtʁaɪ̯ç ˈoːdər ˈzyːsɪçˌkaɪ̯tn̩/ (word by word) |
This phrase is used to request candy while making a light-hearted, unstated threat.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase Süßes, sonst gibt's Saures literally translates to "Sweets, otherwise there is sour stuff".
Which one should you use?
Süßes, sonst gibt's Saures is the idiomatic equivalent of 'trick or treat' used in Germany. In contrast, Streich oder Süßigkeiten is a more literal, less common translation.
Did you know?
- While the phrase is used for Halloween, Germany has a separate tradition called Sankt Martin in November where children carry lanterns and sing songs for treats.
- Halloween is not a traditional German holiday, so the phrase Süßes, sonst gibt's Saures is a relatively modern import designed to mirror the American custom.
- The word Streich used in the literal translation is an ancestral relative of the English word 'stroke', as both stem from the idea of a physical movement or blow.
Examples in context
- Süßes, sonst gibt's Saures!Trick or treat.This sentence shows how to use the form Süßes, sonst gibt's Saures.Tatoeba #7553441 by mraz, translation #1857544 by Spamster
- Wir rufen: Süßes, sonst gibt's Saures!We shout: trick or treat!
Example conversation
Lukas and Hannah are trick-or-treating at a neighbor's door.
- LukasSüßes, sonst gibt's Saures!Trick or treat!
- HannahOh, schau mal, Lukas, die Frau hat Schokolade!Oh, look Lukas, the woman has chocolate!
- LukasSuper, danke schön!Great, thank you very much!
- HannahJetzt gehen wir zur nächsten Tür.Now we are going to the next door.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “trick or treat” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (Streich, oder, Süßigkeiten) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Streich, Süßes, oder, sonst, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
