Clothing vocabulary in German

When it comes to fashion, the Germans certainly have a distinct style. From the clothes they wear to the words they use to describe them, everything about German fashion is just a little bit different. That’s a good thing – it means that shopping for clothes in Germany can be a fun and interesting experience!

In this article, we will take a look at some of the most important German words for clothing. We will explore different categories of clothing, as well as some unusual words that exist only in the German language. So whether you're planning on doing some shopping during your next trip to Germany, or simply want to learn more about this fascinating aspect of German culture, read on!

The Basics

In order to dress fashionably in German, you'll need to know the right words. The following is a basic list of clothing vocabulary to help get you started. Of course, there are many more words you can learn, but this will give you a good foundation to work with.

So, ready to start? Let’s learn the basics:

Die Kleidung – Clothing

Native

Translation

die Hose

pants

der Rock

skirt

das Hemd

shirt

das T-Shirt

T-shirt

der Pullover, der Pulli

sweater

die Jacke

jacket

das Kleid

dress

der Anzug

suit

der Kostüm

women’s suit

die Jeans

jeans

Please note: some people use this German word in singular form, but it should always be used in plural.

Native

Translation

die Socken

socks

die Schuhe

shoes

Clothing vocabulary in German

German Clothing Vocabulary in Details

Of course, now that you’re able to say “I’m going to wear a shirt and pants,” it might be enough to answer some simple clothing questions. But is this really all the vocabulary you might need? Of course not. After all, if you are going to speak in German, you need to act like Germans and be more precise.

So now, let’s learn some more specific German vocabulary relating to clothes and make sure that you can name most of the clothing items in your wardrobe.

Die Oberteile – Tops

Native

Translation

das Trägerhemd, das Tanktop

tank top

der Kapuzenpulli

hoodie

der Blazer

blazer

die Bluse

blouse

das Sweatshirt

sweatshirt

Die Unterseiten – Bottoms

Native

Translation

die kurze Hose, die Shorts

shorts

die Bermudashorts

Bermuda shorts

die Leggings

leggings

die Lederhose

leather pants

die Skihose

ski pants

die Latzhose

dungarees

Die Oberbekleidung – Outwear

Native

Translation

die Jackett

jacket (lady's)

der Parka

parka, anorak

die Weste

waistcoat

der Blazer

blazer

der Mantel

coat

die Strickjacke

cardigan, knit jacket

die Kapuzenjacke

hooded jacket

der Regenmantel

raincoat

die Windjacke

wind jacket

Die Nachtwäsche – Sleepwear

Native

Translation

das Nachthemd

nightdress

der Pyjama(s), der Schlafanzug

pajamas

der Bademantel

bathrobe

die Hausschuhe/die Pantoletten

house slippers

Footwear

Native

Translation

die Turnschuhe

trainers

die Tennisschuhe

tennis shoes

die Sportschuhe

sport shoes, sneakers

die Stiefel

boots

die Absätze

heels

die Sandalen

sandals

Die Unterwäsche – Underwear

Native

Translation

der BH — Büstenhalter

bra

die Strumpfhose

pantyhose

das Höschen, der Slip(s)

panties

die Nachthemdchen

nighties

die Unterhosen

underpants

das Unterhemd

undershirt

die Boxershorts

the boxer shorts

die Damenunterwäsche

lingerie

Other Special Clothing

Clothing vocabulary in German

Native

Translation

die Badebekleidung

swimwear

die Badehose, Badeshorts

bathing trunks, swim shorts

der Badeanzug

swimsuit

das Bikini

bikini

der Strandkleid

beach dress, beach wear

die Schürze

apron

die Uniform

uniform

die Latzhose

overalls

der Trainingsanzug

track suit

das Abendkleid

evening dress

das Hochzeitskleid

wedding dress

Die Accessoires – Accessories

Native

Translation

der Rucksack

backpack

die Handtasche

purse

die Geldbörse

wallet

die Uhr

watch

der Schmuck

jewelry

die Halskette

necklace

das Armband, das Armkettchen

bracelet

der Ring

ring

die Ohrringe

earrings

die Strumpfhose

tights

die Krawatte

necktie

die Handschuhe

gloves

der Hut

hat

die Baseballkappe

baseball cap

der Schal

scarf

der Gürtel

belt

die Sonnenbrille

sunglasses

die Brille

glasses

Other Important German Clothing Vocab

Now that you know how to say that you’re wearing a hat (der hut) and a skirt (der rock), it’s time to learn more clothing words. After all, to create full sentences in the German language, you need to know how to describe the color of the clothing item, its materials, and what can be done with it.

So, here is the remaining necessary vocabulary for you. Now, if you want to describe something, words from this list should help you. Just make sure to choose the correct adjective endings according to the nouns’ gender – and you’re good to go.

Describing Clothes

Native

Translation

weich

soft

rau

rough

nass

wet

trocken

dry

sauber

clean

schmutzig

dirty

stinkend

smelly

bunt

long

kurz

short

gestreift

striped

langärmelig

long-sleeved

kurzärmelig

short-sleeved

Clothing vocabulary in German

Know Your Materials

Native

Translation

der Stoff

fabric

die Baumwolle

cotton

das Leder

leather

der Polyester

polyester

die Kunstfaser

synthetic fabric

der Jeansstoff

denim

das Elastan

spandex

die Wolle

wool

der Samt

velvet

die Seide

silk

der Tweed

tweed

das Nylon

nylon

German Clothing Verbs

Native

Translation

anziehen

to put on

tragen

to wear

ausziehen

to take off

waschen

to wash

trocknen

to dry

kaufen

to purchase

einkaufen

to shop

zurückgeben

to return

zerreißen

to rip

reparieren

to mend

falten

to fold

hängen

to hang

sich umziehen

to change

Let’s Go Shopping: German Clothing Phrases

And now for the fun part. Let’s learn the helpful clothing phrases in German that should help you go shopping and enjoy the process.

Native

Translation

Ich brauche...

I need…

Ich suche...

I’m looking for…

Ich habe Größe...

My size is…, I take a size...

Darf ich es anprobieren?

Can I try this on?

Es passt.

It fits.

Es passt nicht.

It doesn’t fit.

Es ist groß | Das ist zu groß

It’s big| This is too big

Es ist klein | Das ist zu klein

It’s small |This is too small

Was kostet…?

How much is…?

Now Put It All Together!

Ready to create a few sentences in German? Let’s try combining the phrases above with the clothing words we’ve learned today:

Native

Translation

Ich brauche einen schwarzen Pullover

I need a black sweater.

Was kostet diese Lederhose?

How much are these leather trousers?

Der richtige Tennisschuh passt nicht. Aber der linke schon.

The right tennis shoe doesn't fit. But the left one does.

Darf ich diese T-Shirts anprobieren? Ich habe die Größe 38.

Can I try these T-shirts on? My size is 38.

Ich suche ein Kleid. Haben Sie Hochzeitskleider aus Seide?

I'm looking for a dress. Do you have silk wedding dresses?

Clothing vocabulary in German

Final Thoughts on German Clothing Words

Now that you know the German words for different types of clothing, as well as some phrases to help you shop, you're ready to go out and buy yourself a new outfit for your German holiday!

Just don’t remember to practice. After all, memorizing some words can be simple, but you also need to remember each item’s gender, which can be tricky at first. Figuring what article each word has can also be tricky, especially looking at this fun trio: coat (der Mantel) and dress (das Kleid).

Two different words that don’t have any gender in English have different articles in German – so how do you remember the correct one?

We recommend learning German nouns together with articles, which will help you memorize them quickly, as well as practicing your German grammar regularly. Trust us: five minutes of learning German a day, and you'll be able to describe your wardrobe like a native speaker in no time.