It’s what takes over slowly, what’s hard to quit, and what some people fight against every day. In German, it’s die Sucht. This is your German Word of the Day—intense, emotional, and a powerful word that shows up in conversations about health, psychology, and modern life.

The noun Sucht means addiction, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. It refers to both substance and behavioral addictions, and it’s often part of compound words describing specific types of dependency.

It’s a feminine noun, so we say die Sucht (still unsure how to learn genders efficiently? Our video lesson gives you the tools to remember them for good).

Pronunciation

Sucht is pronounced [zookht]

• Su sounds like “zoo”

• cht is a hard ch, like in Buch

• One strong syllable: Sucht

Example sentences

• Er kämpft seit Jahren mit seiner Sucht.
  He has been struggling with his addiction for years.

• Die Sucht nach Alkohol zerstörte seine Beziehungen.
  The addiction to alcohol destroyed his relationships.

• Digitale Sucht ist ein wachsendes Problem.
  Digital addiction is a growing problem.

Nuance and usage tips

Sucht can refer to physical or psychological addiction, and also to an overwhelming craving or compulsion.

🧠 Common compound nouns:

• Alkoholsucht – alcohol addiction

• Spielsucht – gambling addiction

• Internetsucht / Handysucht – internet or smartphone addiction

• Esssucht – binge eating disorder

• Nikotinsucht – nicotine addiction

• Drogensucht – drug addiction

• Kaufsucht – shopping addiction

• Arbeitssucht – workaholism

💬 Typical phrases:

• an einer Sucht leiden – to suffer from an addiction

• in die Sucht abrutschen – to fall into addiction

• eine Sucht bekämpfen / überwinden – to fight / overcome an addiction

• süchtig sein nach ... – to be addicted to ...

🗣️ Note: “süchtig” is the adjective form, as in „Er ist süchtig nach Schokolade.“
(He’s addicted to chocolate.)

How does this word come up in real conversations?

• "Ich glaube, ich hab eine kleine Sucht nach Serien."
  I think I have a little addiction to shows.

• "Sie ist wegen ihrer Sucht in Therapie."
  She’s in therapy because of her addiction.

• "Sucht ist eine Krankheit, keine Schwäche."
  Addiction is an illness, not a weakness.

Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)

Nina: Warum trinkst du keinen Alkohol?
Ben: Ich hatte mal ein Problem mit Sucht.
Nina: Oh… danke, dass du so offen bist.
Ben: Kein Problem. Es gehört zu meiner Geschichte.

Translation:
Nina: Why don’t you drink alcohol?
Ben: I had a problem with addiction once.
Nina: Oh… thanks for being so open.
Ben: No problem. It’s part of my story.

Grammatical case examples

Nominative:
Die Sucht ist schwer zu erkennen.
The addiction is hard to recognize.

Accusative:
Er konnte die Sucht nicht kontrollieren.
He couldn’t control the addiction.

Dative:
Sie entkommt der Sucht nicht.
She can’t escape the addiction.

Genitive:
Die Folgen der Sucht sind langfristig.
The consequences of the addiction are long-term.

Word variations and language tidbits

• Suchtverhalten – addictive behavior

• Suchtmittel – addictive substance

• Suchtgefahr – risk of addiction

• Suchtklinik – addiction clinic

• Suchtberatung – addiction counseling

• Suchterkrankung – addiction disorder

🧬 Fun fact: The word Sucht is related to siechen—an old German verb meaning “to suffer” or “to waste away.” So the word originally meant a condition of deep suffering or decay.

📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Sucht
🎥 Want to kick your Sucht for guessing vocab? Our free video course teaches the 1000 most common German nouns with visuals, grammar help, and real-world examples.

Ready for more German Words of the Day?
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