01
der Zucker
sugar
A sweet-tasting, crystalline substance (sucrose) obtained from plants such as sugar beets or sugar cane and used as food.
example
Ich trinke meinen Kaffee ohne Zucker.
I drink my coffee without sugar.
der Zucker
sugar
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Use as a mass noun
In its main meaning, 'Zucker' (sugar) is an uncountable noun (mass noun). It is therefore usually used without an article or in the singular when talking about the substance in general.
EXAMPLE
Für diesen Kuchen braucht man Mehl, Eier und Zucker.
For this cake, you need flour, eggs, and sugar.
Context clue
You can tell from the context whether household sugar or blood sugar is meant. In a medical context or in combination with verbs like 'messen' (to measure) and adjectives like 'hoch' (high) or 'niedrig' (low), it almost always means blood sugar.
EXAMPLE
Mein Arzt sagt, ich muss auf meinen Zucker achten.
My doctor says I have to watch my blood sugar.
Typical quantities
When referring to a specific amount of sugar, quantity expressions are often used, such as 'ein Löffel Zucker' (a spoonful of sugar), 'ein Stück Zucker' (a sugar cube), or 'eine Prise Zucker' (a pinch of sugar).
EXAMPLE
Möchtest du ein Stück Zucker in deinen Espresso?
Would you like a sugar cube in your espresso?
Typical collocations
In a medical context, 'Zucker' (blood sugar) is often used with the possessive pronoun. Typical phrases are 'seinen Zucker messen' (to measure one's blood sugar), 'hohen/niedrigen Zucker haben' (to have high/low blood sugar), or 'ein Problem mit dem Zucker haben' (to have a problem with one's blood sugar).
EXAMPLE
Viele Diabetiker müssen mehrmals täglich ihren Zucker messen.
Many diabetics have to measure their blood sugar several times a day.
Compare with
Zucker vs Kohlenhydrat
carbohydrate
'der Zucker' and 'das Kohlenhydrat' both belong to the topic of nutrition and energy. The difference is important: sugar is a specific sweet substance that you find, for example, in tea, cake, or sweets. Carbohydrates are a larger group of nutrients. They include sugars, but also substances from bread, pasta, rice, or potatoes. Learners may confuse the words because carbohydrates are made up of sugar molecules and the body processes them into energy. In everyday life, people say 'Zucker' when talking about sweetness or table sugar. 'Kohlenhydrat' fits better when talking about nutrition, sports, or nutritional values.
Zucker
Am Morgen trinkst du deinen Kaffee ohne Zucker.
In the morning, you drink your coffee without sugar.
Kohlenhydrat
Vor dem Lauf isst Mehmet Reis, weil er viele Kohlenhydrate braucht.
Before the run, Mehmet eats rice because he needs a lot of carbohydrates.
In real life
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