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süß
sweet
Having the taste of sugar or honey. One of the basic tastes.
example
Der Tee ist mir ein bisschen zu süß, ich mag ihn lieber herb.
The tea is a bit too sweet for me; I prefer it more bitter.
süß
sweet / cute
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Context clue
The two most common meanings are 'tastes like sugar' and 'cute'. The context makes the difference clear: if 'süß' (sweet) refers to food or drink, it is about the taste. If it refers to people, animals, or small things, it usually means 'cute'.
EXAMPLE
Diese Erdbeeren sind wunderbar süß.
These strawberries are wonderfully sweet.
Colloquial use
The meaning 'cute' or 'charming' is very common in everyday language. You can use it for babies and animals, but also as a friendly compliment for people.
EXAMPLE
Dein neuer Haarschnitt ist echt süß!
Your new haircut is really cute!
Fixed combination
In the combination 'süßes Wasser' (fresh water) or as the compound 'Süßwasser' (freshwater), the word has a fixed, technical meaning: water that is not salty. It is used in geography and biology.
EXAMPLE
Der See enthält süßes Wasser und ist die Heimat vieler Fischarten.
The lake contains fresh water and is home to many species of fish.
Poetic language
When 'süß' (sweet) describes a smell or a sound, it is often a poetic or literary expression. It is used less often this way in normal everyday language.
EXAMPLE
Durch den Garten zog ein süßer Duft von Rosen.
A sweet scent of roses drifted through the garden.
Compare with
süß vs sauer
sour / angry
'sauer' and 'süß' both describe a taste. In this sense, they are opposites: 'sauer' fits lemons, vinegar, or unripe fruit, while 'süß' fits sugar, honey, or ripe fruit. With food and drinks, the difference is important because both words describe the taste very directly. In other meanings, for example 'sauer' as annoyed or 'süß' as cute, they are not opposites.
süß
Der Tee schmeckt sehr süß, weil Anna viel Honig hineingetan hat.
The tea tastes very sweet because Anna put a lot of honey in it.
sauer
Die Limonade ist mir zu sauer, deshalb gebe ich etwas Zucker dazu.
The lemonade is too sour for me, so I add a little sugar.
In real life
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