Mein Haustier: Meine Katze Maya

What does “süß” mean in German?

Maya the cat ist süß und macht mich glücklich. Süß is the taste word for sweet — sugar, cake, chocolate — but it’s also German’s default word for cute. Kittens are süß, babies are süß, a thoughtful gesture is süß. English “sweet” can stretch this way too, but German does it constantly, so it’s worth hearing süß as “cute” first and “sugary” second.

For actual sugar the family stays visible: Süßigkeiten are sweets, der Kuchen ist zu süß means the cake is too sugary, and etwas Süßes is “something sweet” to eat. Said about a person, süß is affectionate but slightly diminutive — closer to “adorable” than “attractive,” which is why it suits a kitten better than a date.