Hose
/ˈhoːzə/feminine
The English word "pants" translates to German as Hose.
Hose is a noun used to describe a garment that covers the body from the waist downwards. You can use more specific terms to describe different styles: Jeanshose refers to jeans, Stoffhose refers to trousers, Kurze Hose refers to shorts and Trainingshose refers to track pants.
Meaning: garment covering the body from the waist downwards (noun)
Which one should you use?
While English uses the plural 'pants' to refer to one garment, German uses the singular Hose to refer to one garment.
How does it change in a sentence?
Hose is a feminine noun. The plural form of Hose is Hosen.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈhoːzə/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly treat the German word Hose as a plural noun, but it is grammatically singular and refers to a single garment.
Did you know?
- Unlike in the US where 'pants' can mean underwear, in Germany you must use Unterhose to avoid a confusing misunderstanding.
- The word Hose is closely related to the English word 'hose', though in modern English 'hose' usually refers to a flexible tube rather than clothing.
- In Germany, calling a pair of pants Hose is the standard, but using the word Pantalon can sound like a deliberate reference to 19th-century fashion or high-society dress.
Examples in context
- Sie trägt nie Hosen.She never wears pants.Tatoeba #2903052 by Manfredo, translation #1126710 by CK
- Ich kaufe eine Hose.I'm buying pants.Tatoeba #8320846 by MisterTrouser, translation #12773989 by rul
- Lass meine Hose los!Let go of my pants.Tatoeba #9272002 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #9271022 by DJ_Saidez
- Die rote Hose passt gut.The red pants fit well.
- Ich kaufe eine neue Hose.I'm buying a new pair of pants.
- Ich trage meine neuen Hosen.I am wearing my new pants.
- Diese Hosen sind modisch.These pants are fashionable.
- 103 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Sarah are shopping for clothes together.
- LukasIst diese Hose gut?Are these pants good?
- SarahJa, die Hose steht dir sehr gut.Yes, the pants look very good on you.
- LukasSoll ich sie kaufen?Should I buy them?
- SarahJa, die Hose ist wirklich schön.Yes, the pants are really beautiful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pants” translations and entries Hose, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
