Language/German/Vocabulary/Shopping-for-Clothes

German Vocabulary → Shopping and Clothes → Shopping for Clothes

As a German language teacher with 20 years of experience, I am happy to help you learn how to shop for clothes in German. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to identify and purchase various types of clothes in a German-speaking environment.

Vocabulary

Let's start by reviewing some basic German vocabulary related to shopping for clothes. Here are some essential words and phrases you'll need to know:

German	Pronunciation	English
die Kleidung	dee KLY-dung	clothing
das Kleid	dahs klyt	dress
der Anzug	dehr AHN-tsook	suit
der Pullover	dehr POOL-oh-vuhr	sweater
das Hemd	dahs hɛmt	shirt
die Hose	dee HOH-zuh	pants
der Rock	dehr rohk	skirt
die Schuhe	dee SHOO-uh	shoes
die Größe	dee GROE-suh	size
anprobieren	ahn-proh-bee-ren	to try on
passt gut	pahst goot	fits well
gefällt	guh-felt	like
das Geschäft	dahs geh-SHAEFT	store
die Kasse	dee KA-seh	cash register
der Preis	dehr preys	price

It's important to note that in Germany, clothing sizes are often indicated in centimeters rather than small, medium, large, etc. Therefore, it's essential to know your exact size in centimeters to get a perfect fit.

Useful Phrases

Here are some useful German phrases to help you while shopping for clothes:

• Kann ich das anprobieren? - Can I try this on?
• Haben Sie das in Größe [number] oder [other size]? - Do you have this in size [number] or [other size]?
• Passt es gut? - Does it fit well?
• Wie viel kostet das? - How much does that cost?
• Das gefällt mir (nicht). - I (don't) like that.
• Kann ich damit zur Kasse gehen? - Can I take this to the cash register?

Remember to always be polite and respectful while communicating with the salesperson.

Tips

Here are some tips to help make your shopping experience in German more comfortable:

1. Know your measurements in centimeters. 2. Bring a dictionary or translator app to help with unfamiliar words. 3. Make a list of the specific items you're looking to purchase. 4. Shop during times when the store is less busy to receive more personalized attention from the salesperson.

Conclusion

Learning how to shop for clothes in German is an essential skill that will come in handy when traveling to any German-speaking country. With the correct vocabulary and basic phrases, you'll be able to navigate any store and make your purchase with ease. Remember to always be polite and respectful to the salesperson, and you'll have a pleasant shopping experience in German.

Sources

• German Vocabulary for Shopping - dummies
• German Clothes Vocabulary - ielanguages.com
• Translating English Words About Shopping Into German

Table of Contents - German Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

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Basic Sentence Structures

• Subject and Verb
• Noun and Gender

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Greetings and Introduction

• Greetings and Goodbyes
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Definite and Indefinite Articles

• Gender and Articles
• Plural Forms
• Cases: Nominative and Accusative

  ---

Numbers, Dates and Time

• Numbers 1-100
• Days of the Week and Months
• Telling Time

  ---

Verbs and Conjugation

• Verb Forms
• Present Tense
• Separable Verbs

  ---

Family and Friends

• Family Members
• Talking About Your Friends

  ---

Prepositions

• Using Prepositions
• Two-Way Prepositions

  ---

Food and Drinks

• Food and Meals
• Drinks and Beverages

  ---

Germany and German-Speaking Countries

• Geography and Landmarks
• Cuisine and Traditions

  ---

Pronouns and Possessives

• Personal Pronouns
• Possessive Pronouns

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Booking a Trip
• Public Transportation

  ---

Modal Verbs

• Expressing Abilities
• Talking About Obligations

  ---

Shopping and Clothes

• Shopping for Clothes
• Buying Groceries

  ---

Music and Entertainment

• Popular Musicians and Genres
• Movies, TV and Literature

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Adjectives

• Descriptive Adjectives
• Comparative and Superlative Forms

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Health and Body

• Talking About Health
• Body Parts

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Time and Temporal Prepositions

• Using Time Expressions
• Temporal Prepositions

Related Lessons

• Introducing
• Body Parts
• At Home
• Education
• Seasons
• False Friends
• Problems in German
• longest word
• Days of the Week