Schatzi

What it means

1. 1.

   Sweetheart, darling. The diminutive of Schatz, and the default endearment between partners and from parents to children.

2. 2.

   Also weaponised. 'Hör mal, Schatzi' from a stranger or a colleague is condescending and often sexist, and 'Nein, Schatzi' is how you refuse a request while making clear the asker is being ridiculous. Learners who pick it up as a friendly word and use it on acquaintances cause real awkwardness.

Literally: Little treasure.

Examples with translations

• Schatzi, kannst du mal kurz kommen?

  Sweetheart, could you come here a second?

• Hör mal zu, Schatzi, so läuft das nicht.

  Now listen here, love, that's not how this works.

  Note: Flatly patronising. The diminutive is the insult.

Where it comes from

Schatz, 'treasure', has been a term of endearment since the Middle Ages; the -i diminutive is southern German and Austrian in origin and spread nationally through television and pop music in the second half of the 20th century.

Other forms

Similar terms:

Schatz, Maus, Hase