Shorts
[ʃɔɐ̯t͡s]plural
In German, shorts can be said as Shorts or kurze Hose.
Meaning: leg garment (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Shorts | [ʃɔɐ̯t͡s] (narrow) [ʃɔʁt͡s] (narrow) |
plural |
| kurze Hose | feminine |
The term is used to refer to a leg garment.
Which one should you use?
Shorts is a plural loanword used to describe the garment, whereas kurze Hose is a singular feminine noun phrase used to describe a single garment. To express the plural of the latter, use kurze Hosen.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Shorts is a common, modern and informal term frequently used in casual speech and fashion contexts. kurze Hose is the standard, descriptive German way to refer to the garment.
How does it change in a sentence?
The loanword Shorts is used as a plural noun in German. The phrase kurze Hose is feminine and becomes kurze Hosen in its plural form.
Did you know?
- If you say Hosen in a traditional context, it might refer to stockings or tights rather than trousers, as the original meaning of Hose described a skin-tight garment.
- The word Hose shares a common ancestor with the English word 'hose', which originally referred to the tight-fitting leg coverings worn by men in the Middle Ages.
- The term Shorts is often treated as an internationalism in German fashion magazines, making it sound more 'trendy' than the traditional kurze Hose.
Examples in context
- Er trug eine kurze Hose.He was wearing shorts.The sentence is useful for seeing the singular form kurze Hose in use.Tatoeba #13720980 by Waldelfe, translation #8392754 by Amastan
- Dieses Kind trägt Shorts.This kid is wearing shorts.This sentence shows how to use the plural loanword Shorts.Tatoeba #2521696 by Zaghawa, translation #1802650 by Scott
- Sie hatten kurze Hosen an.They were wearing shorts.This sentence demonstrates the plural form of the phrase kurze Hose.Tatoeba #13377993 by Vortarulo, translation #4502115 by CK
- Ich ziehe morgen meine Shorts an, da es sehr warm wird.I will wear my shorts tomorrow because it will be very hot.
- Wo hast du deine Shorts gekauft?Where did you buy your shorts?
- Ich finde diese Bermuda total stylisch!I think these Bermuda shorts are totally stylish!
- Welche Farbe hat deine Bermuda?What color is your Bermuda shorts?
- Kommst du mit dem Hund in der kurzen Hose spazieren?Are you going for a walk with the dog in shorts?
- Ich habe gestern eine neue kurze Hose gekauft, sie ist super bequem.I bought a new pair of shorts yesterday, and they are really comfortable.
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are packing for a summer vacation.
- HannahBrauchst du neue Shorts für den Urlaub?Do you need new shorts for the vacation?
- MaximilianNein, ich habe schon genug Shorts.No, I already have enough shorts.
- HannahSoll ich meine blauen Shorts mitnehmen?Should I take my blue shorts along?
- MaximilianJa, die passen gut zum Sommer.Yes, those are good for the summer.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shorts” translations and entries Shorts, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Hose, Shorts, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
