It’s what holds your morning coffee, warms your hands on a cold day, or clinks gently in a kitchen cabinet. In German, it’s die Tasse. This is your German Word of the Day—cozy, common, and perfect for anyone navigating daily life, from breakfast tables to coffee shops.

The noun Tasse means cup (especially for hot drinks), and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. Whether you’re sipping Kaffee, Tee, or Kakao, you’ll hear this word a lot.

It’s a feminine noun, so we say die Tasse (want to learn gender without guessing? Our video lesson will make it stick).

Pronunciation

Tasse is pronounced [TAS-seh]

• Tas like “tass” (as in task without the “k”)

• se like “seh” (soft “e”)

• Stress on the first syllable: TASse

Example sentences

• Ich trinke jeden Morgen eine Tasse Kaffee.
  I drink a cup of coffee every morning.

• Willst du eine Tasse Tee?
  Want a cup of tea?

• Sie stellte die Tasse vorsichtig auf den Tisch.
  She placed the cup carefully on the table.

Nuance and usage tips

Tasse typically refers to ceramic or porcelain cups for hot drinks—not plastic cups (Becher) or wine glasses (Glas).

☕ Common combinations:

• Kaffeetasse – coffee cup

• Teetasse – teacup

• Lieblingstasse – favorite mug

• Espressotasse – espresso cup

• Tassenset – cup set (matching dishware)

🗣️ Common phrases:

• eine Tasse trinken – to have a cup of something

• eine Tasse nehmen – to grab a cup

• die Tasse ist voll / leer – the cup is full / empty

• eine halbe Tasse Milch – half a cup of milk (used in cooking too)

How does this word come up in real conversations?

• "Magst du eine Tasse Kaffee?"
  Would you like a cup of coffee?

• "Wo ist meine Tasse mit dem Herz drauf?"
  Where’s my cup with the heart on it?

• "Die Tasse ist noch heiß."
  The cup is still hot.

Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)

Mia: Möchtest du etwas trinken?
Jonas: Ja, gern. Hast du Tee?
Mia: Klar – grün oder schwarz?
Jonas: Egal. Hauptsache heiß – und in einer großen Tasse!

Translation:
Mia: Would you like something to drink?
Jonas: Yes, please. Do you have tea?
Mia: Sure—green or black?
Jonas: Doesn’t matter. As long as it’s hot—and in a big cup!

Grammatical case examples

Nominative:
Die Tasse ist hübsch.
The cup is pretty.

Accusative:
Ich nehme die Tasse aus dem Schrank.
I’m taking the cup out of the cupboard.

Dative:
Der Löffel liegt in der Tasse.
The spoon is in the cup.

Genitive:
Der Rand der Tasse ist abgebrochen.
The rim of the cup is chipped.

Word variations and language tidbits

• Tassenschrank – cupboard for mugs and cups

• Tassenwärmer – mug warmer (USB-powered or electric)

• Tassendesign – cup design

• Tasseninhalt – contents of a cup

• Tassenweise – “by the cup” (e.g. Kaffee tassenweise trinken)

☕ Fun fact: Germans often serve coffee in smaller porcelain Tassen rather than large mugs—unless you’re in a café with “To-Go”-culture. In Austrian German, Häferl or Becher might be used instead for a bigger cup or mug.

📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Tasse
🎥 Want a warm, comforting start to your German learning? Our free video course teaches the top 1000 German nouns with real-life examples, visuals, and grammar help.

Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Do you know what Täter means? Hopefully, not the one who broke your favorite Tasse.
And what about Tempel? In some cultures, even a Tasse has ceremonial importance.