It’s what religions warn against, what temptations lead to, or what someone calls a guilty pleasure. In German, it’s die Sünde. This is your German Word of the Day—moral, emotional, and often heavier than it first appears.

The noun Sünde means sin, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. You’ll find it in religious texts, everyday speech, and even on dessert menus.

It’s a feminine noun, so we say die Sünde (not sure how to remember gender easily? Our video lesson helps you master it quickly and confidently).

Pronunciation

Sünde is pronounced [ZUEN-duh]

• Sün with a German ü (like the French u)

• de like “duh”

• Stress on the first syllable: SÜNde

Example sentences

• Lügen ist eine Sünde.
  Lying is a sin.

• Sie hat das als große Sünde empfunden.
  She felt that was a serious sin.

• Diese Torte ist eine Sünde wert!
  This cake is worth the sin!

Nuance and usage tips

🕊️ In religious or moral contexts:

• eine Todsünde begehen – to commit a mortal sin

• um Vergebung der Sünden bitten – to ask forgiveness for sins

• frei von Sünde – free from sin

• Sündenbekenntnis – confession of sins

• Sündenfall – fall from grace (e.g., Adam and Eve)

🍫 In everyday/figurative use:

• kleine Sünde – a guilty pleasure (like a rich dessert or splurge)

• sündhaft teuer – sinfully expensive

• sündigen – to sin / to indulge
  (e.g., „Heute hab ich gesündigt – drei Stück Kuchen!“)

⚠️ Often has a double meaning: morally wrong vs. deliciously forbidden

How does this word come up in real conversations?

• "Ich weiß, das war eine Sünde, aber es war so gut."
  I know it was a sin, but it was so good.

• "Gibt es für jede Sünde Vergebung?"
  Is there forgiveness for every sin?

• "Ich hab bei der Diät total gesündigt."
  I totally cheated on my diet.

Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)

Max: Willst du noch ein Stück Torte?
Lina: Ich sollte nicht…
Max: Ach komm, eine kleine Sünde!
Lina: Na gut. Nur eine kleine!

Translation:
Max: Want another slice of cake?
Lina: I really shouldn’t...
Max: Oh come on, a little sin!
Lina: Alright. Just a little one!

Grammatical case examples

Nominative:
Die Sünde war nicht zu leugnen.
The sin couldn’t be denied.

Accusative:
Ich bereue die Sünde zutiefst.
I deeply regret the sin.

Dative:
Mit der Sünde musste er leben.
He had to live with the sin.

Genitive:
Die Folgen der Sünde waren schwer.
The consequences of the sin were serious.

Word variations and language tidbits

• Sünder(in) – sinner

• sündhaft – sinful, excessive

• Sündenregister – record of sins

• Sündenvergebung – forgiveness of sins

• Sündenbewusstsein – awareness of guilt

• Sündenbock – scapegoat (literally: “sin goat”)

🐐 Fun fact: The word Sündenbock (scapegoat) comes from an ancient ritual where a goat symbolically carried the sins of a community into the wilderness. In German, it still refers to someone blamed for the faults of others.

📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Suende
🎥 Want to skip the sin of forgetting key nouns? Our free video course teaches the 1000 most common German words—with examples, grammar help, and memory-friendly visuals.

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