Bite 23: Talking About Clothes in German

German in 100 bites by Dr. Mitar Pitzek

Bite 23:
Talking About Clothes in German – From “die Jacke” to “die Schuhe”
(A1 Level)

Innes Blog - Bite 23: Talking About Clothes in German

Before We Dive In

Imagine you’re in Vienna on Mariahilfer Straße – one of the city’s most famous shopping streets. You walk into a store, see a beautiful jacket, and want to try it on. How do you ask? How do you say what you’re wearing, or what size you need? Or you walk into one of Vienna’s thousand amazing second-hand or vintage shops (you should definitely try them out!) and there’s no price tag on your favourite one-of-a-kind piece. How do you ask for the price in German?
That’s exactly what we’ll cover today: how to talk about clothes in German – from basic vocabulary to simple, useful phrases for shopping and everyday life.

1. Essential Vocabulary – Kleidung (Clothes)

German	English
die Jacke	jacket
der Mantel	coat
das Hemd	shirt
die Bluse	blouse
das Kleid	dress
der Pullover	sweater
die Hose	pants / trousers
der Rock	skirt
die Schuhe	shoes
die Stiefel	boots
die Socken	socks
der Schal	scarf
die Mütze / die Haube	cap / hat
die Tasche	bag

2. Talking About What You’re Wearing

To say what you are wearing, use the verb tragen (to wear).

Ich trage eine Jacke. (I am wearing a jacket.)
Er trägt ein Hemd und eine Hose. (He is wearing a shirt and pants.)

Remember: the verb tragen changes:

ich trage
du trägst
er/sie/es trägt

3. Colors – Review and Combine

Clothes are perfect for practicing colors from Bite 7 and fits with Bite 15 (shopping vocabulary).

In German, the color comes after the noun:

Die Jacke ist blau. (The jacket is blue.)
Ich trage einen schwarzen Mantel. (I’m wearing a black coat.)
Meine Schuhe sind weiß. (My shoes are white.)

4. At the Shop – Useful Phrases

Here are some sentences you’ll really use when shopping:

Welche Größe haben Sie? (What size do you have?)
Ich suche eine Hose. (I’m looking for pants.)
Haben Sie das auch in Größe M? (Do you have this also in size M?)
Kann ich das anprobieren? (Can I try this on?)
Wie viel kostet das? (How much does that cost?)

5. Practice Time – Put It Together!

Write 3–4 sentences about what you’re wearing right now.

Example:

Heute trage ich eine blaue Hose und ein weißes T-Shirt. (Today I’m wearing blue pants and a white T-shirt.)

Then describe what your friend/partner/mother/colleague is wearing right now.

Heute trägt sie einen grünen Rock, ein weißes T-Shirt und eine rote Haube. (Today she’s wearing a green skirt, a white shirt and a red cap.)

Imagine you’re in a store. How would you ask for your size?

Vienna Tip: Shopping in the City

Vienna has many shopping hotspots – from international brands on Mariahilfer or Kärntner Straße to small boutiques in almost every district. If you’re shopping in German, don’t be shy! Even a simple: