Ich mag deine Haare
The English phrase "I like your hair" is translated into German as Ich mag deine Haare.
While English typically uses the singular "hair," German almost always uses the plural form Haare in this context.
What does it mean word for word?
The word Haare means hair in its plural form.
Which one should you use?
While Ich mag deine Haare is a direct translation, Germans often use the verb stehen to express a similar sentiment, such as Deine Haare stehen dir gut (Your hair suits you well).
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase Ich mag deine Haare uses the informal possessive pronoun deine, which is used when speaking to one friend, family member or peer. To say 'I like your hair' to a stranger or in a formal setting, you should use the formal possessive pronoun Ihre instead of deine. If you are complimenting the hair of a group of people (e.g., two friends), you use the plural possessive eure instead of deine.
Did you know?
- If you tell a German 'Deine Haare stehen dir gut', you are literally saying 'Your hair stands to you well'.
- The word Haar can be used in German idioms to describe a very thin margin, such as um ein Haar, which means 'by a hair' or 'almost'.
- If you compliment a stranger's hair using Ihre Haare, you are not just being polite, you are maintaining a social distance that is strictly enforced in professional German settings.
Examples in context
- Ich mag deine Haare.I like your hair.This sentence is useful for saying "I like your hair."Tatoeba #1996458 by mrtaistoi, translation #1887538 by CK
- Ich mag deine Haare sehr.I like your hair very much.
Example conversation
Lukas and Laura are meeting at a café.
- LukasHallo Laura, ich mag deine Haare!Hello Laura, I like your hair!
- LauraDanke Lukas, das ist sehr lieb.Thanks Lukas, that is very sweet.
- LukasHast du sie neu geschnitten?Did you get them cut recently?
- LauraJa, gestern beim Friseur.Yes, yesterday at the hairdresser's.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
