sonnig

Sonnig is a German adjective meaning sunny, describing weather or light conditions dominated by sun and clear skies. It is commonly used to indicate that a day, landscape, or scene is bright and sunlit, often with pleasant warmth. In meteorology and everyday speech, sonnig contrasts with terms such as bewölkt (cloudy), regnerisch (rainy), or stürmisch (stormy). Phrases like “sonniges Wetter” or “ein sonniger Tag” are typical, and speakers also use the word to convey a cheerful mood when describing landscapes or seasonal moments.

Etymology and form: sonnig is formed from the noun Sonne plus the adjectival suffix -ig, which yields a characteristic-of meaning. The root Sonne traces back to Proto-Germanic origins related to the sun. Grammatically, sonnig is an inflected attributive and predicative adjective. It agrees with gender, number, and case: ein sonniger Tag, eine sonnige Nacht, das sonnige Wetter, die sonnige Landschaft.

Usage notes: While sonnig literally describes abundant sunlight, it can occur in figurative senses as well, such as a “sonniges Gemüt” to evoke a cheerful disposition, though more common terms for mood include fröhlich or optimistisch. The word is standard across German-speaking regions, though regional speakers may prefer closely related expressions like “sonnend” in poetry or literature.

See also: Sonne; Sonnenschein; Wetter.