Appearance
Vocab: Clothing — B1
Clothing vocabulary at B1 level.
Maskulin Feminin Neutrum Plural
gepflegt — well-groomed, well-kept
Gepflegt describes something clean, tidy, and cared for; for people it often means well-groomed or polished. It can be compared regularly: gepflegter, am gepflegtesten.
Der Garten ist sehr gepflegt.
The garden is very well kept.
der Garten means the garden, and sehr means very. The adjective is predicative after ist, so it has no ending; learners should not add -e here.
Sie trägt ein gepflegtes Kleid.
She is wearing a well-kept-looking dress.
sie trägt means she is wearing, and das Kleid is a dress. ein gepflegtes Kleid is accusative because trägt takes the thing worn as its object; the neuter adjective gets -es after ein.
Sein Aussehen wirkt gepflegter als früher.
His appearance looks more well-groomed than before.
sein Aussehen means his appearance, wirkt means seems or looks, and früher means before. The comparative gepflegter is used with als for comparison, and sein Aussehen is nominative because it is the subject.
Von allen Gärten ist dieser am gepflegtesten.
Of all the gardens, this one is the best kept.
von allen Gärten means of all the gardens, and dieser means this one. von takes the dative, while the am-superlative follows ist without an adjective ending.
das Jackett — suit jacket
The loanword das Jackett is usually used for a smart jacket worn with trousers or as part of a suit. Its plural is die Jacketts, with -s, like many modern loanwords.
Das Jackett passt gut zu meiner Hose.
The suit jacket goes well with my trousers.
passt gut zu means goes well with, and meine Hose means my trousers. Das Jackett is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb passt is in position two.
Ich kaufe ein neues Jackett.
I am buying a new suit jacket.
kaufe means am buying, and neu means new. Ein neues Jackett is accusative because kaufen takes a direct object; the finite verb kaufe stands in position two.
Er kommt in einem dunklen Jackett zur Feier.
He is coming to the party in a dark suit jacket.
dunkel means dark, zur Feier means to the party, and kommen means come. In einem dunklen Jackett is dative because in describes a fixed situation rather than movement into something.
Die Farbe des Jacketts gefällt mir.
I like the colour of the suit jacket.
die Farbe means the colour, and gefällt mir means pleases me, or I like it. Des Jacketts is genitive because it identifies whose colour it is; the noun takes -s in the genitive.
Im Geschäft hängen viele Jacketts.
Many suit jackets are hanging in the shop.
im Geschäft means in the shop, and hängen means are hanging. Viele Jacketts is plural, formed with -s; after a fronted location phrase, the finite verb hängen still comes before the subject.
die Klamotte — piece of clothing; clothes
Klamotte is colloquial and can sound humorous or slightly dismissive. For clothes in general, German more often uses the plural Klamotten; the neutral word is Kleidung.
Die Klamotte ist viel zu groß.
The piece of clothing is much too big.
viel zu groß means much too big. Die Klamotte is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Ich kaufe die Klamotte nicht.
I’m not buying the piece of clothing.
kaufen means to buy, and nicht means not. Die Klamotte is accusative because kaufen takes a direct object; the finite verb kaufe is in position two.
Mit der Klamotte friere ich nicht.
I won’t be cold in this piece of clothing.
mit means with or in, and frieren means to be cold. Der Klamotte is dative because mit always takes the dative; the phrase mit der Klamotte comes first, so friere remains in position two.
Der Preis der Klamotte ist erstaunlich niedrig.
The price of the piece of clothing is surprisingly low.
der Preis is the price, erstaunlich means surprisingly, and niedrig means low. Der Klamotte is genitive after Preis, showing which item has that price; ist stands in position two.
Die Klamotten liegen auf dem Boden.
The clothes are lying on the floor.
liegen means are lying, and der Boden is the floor. Klamotten is plural, while auf dem Boden is dative because it describes a fixed location; the plural subject takes liegen.
luftdurchlässig — breathable, air-permeable
This adjective is mainly used for fabrics, clothing and other materials. The opposite is luftundurchlässig, meaning not allowing air through.
Das Material ist luftdurchlässig.
The material is breathable.
Das Material means the material and ist means is. Luftdurchlässig is predicative, so it has no adjective ending after sein; the finite verb ist is in position two.
Wir kaufen einen luftdurchlässigen Stoff.
We are buying a breathable fabric.
Wir kaufen means we are buying and Stoff means fabric. Einen luftdurchlässigen Stoff is accusative because it is the object of kaufen, and the adjective takes -en after einen.
Diese Jacke ist luftdurchlässiger als die andere.
This jacket is more breathable than the other one.
Diese Jacke means this jacket and die andere means the other one. Luftdurchlässiger is the comparative and als introduces the thing it is compared with; after sein, the adjective has no ending.
Leinen ist am luftdurchlässigsten.
Linen is the most breathable.
Leinen means linen. Am luftdurchlässigsten is the predicative superlative, built with am and -sten, and it follows the finite verb ist.
der Modedesigner — fashion designer
A Modedesigner designs clothes, unlike a Schneider, who mainly makes or alters clothes. The plural is unchanged: der Modedesigner, die Modedesigner.
Der Modedesigner arbeitet an einer neuen Kollektion.
The fashion designer is working on a new collection.
arbeitet means is working, an means on here, and eine neue Kollektion means a new collection. Der Modedesigner is nominative because it is the subject; an takes the dative in this fixed expression, and arbeitet is in position two.
Die Zeitung interviewt den Modedesigner.
The newspaper is interviewing the fashion designer.
die Zeitung means the newspaper and interviewt means interviews. Den Modedesigner is accusative because interviewen takes a direct object; the masculine article changes from der to den.
Die Journalistin gibt dem Modedesigner einen Tipp.
The journalist gives the fashion designer a tip.
die Journalistin means the journalist, gibt means gives, and einen Tipp means a tip. Dem Modedesigner is dative because it is the recipient of gibt, while einen Tipp is the accusative thing given.
Die Arbeit des Modedesigners ist sehr kreativ.
The fashion designer's work is very creative.
die Arbeit means the work and kreativ means creative. Des Modedesigners is genitive because it shows whose work it is; this masculine noun adds -s in the genitive.
Die Modedesigner zeigen ihre Entwürfe auf der Messe.
The fashion designers show their designs at the trade fair.
zeigen means show, ihre Entwürfe means their designs, and die Messe means the trade fair. Modedesigner is unchanged in the plural; ihre Entwürfe is accusative because it is the object of zeigen.
Der Modedesigner entwirft elegante Kleidung.
The fashion designer designs elegant clothing.
entwirft means designs, elegant means elegant, and Kleidung means clothing. Der Modedesigner is the nominative subject, while elegante Kleidung is the accusative object; the finite verb entwirft is in position two.
der Modeschmuck — costume jewellery, fashion jewellery
This is a mass noun for inexpensive jewellery used as a fashion accessory, so it normally has no plural. It is not the same as valuable jewellery made from precious metals or stones.
Modeschmuck kann ein Outfit schnell verändern.
Costume jewellery can quickly change an outfit.
ein Outfit means an outfit, and schnell verändern means to change quickly. Modeschmuck is the nominative subject, and kann is in position two; the infinitive verändern goes to the end after the modal verb.
Sie trägt gern Modeschmuck.
She likes wearing costume jewellery.
trägt means wears, and gern means gladly or with pleasure. Modeschmuck is accusative because tragen takes a direct object; the finite verb trägt stands in position two.
Mit Modeschmuck kann man schlichte Kleidung interessanter machen.
With costume jewellery, you can make simple clothes more interesting.
mit means with, schlichte Kleidung means simple clothes, and interessanter machen means make more interesting. Modeschmuck is dative because mit always governs the dative; kann is in position two and machen goes to the end.
Der Preis des Modeschmucks ist niedrig.
The price of the costume jewellery is low.
der Preis is the price and niedrig means low. Modeschmucks is genitive after der Preis, showing what the price belongs to; the singular-only noun has no plural.
der Pelz — fur; fur coat; fur coat
Der Pelz can mean the natural fur of an animal or a garment made from fur. It is often confused with das Fell, which usually means an animal's coat or hide and does not normally mean a fur coat.
Der Pelz des Fuchses ist sehr weich.
The fox's fur is very soft.
der Fuchs means fox and weich means soft. Der Pelz is nominative because it is the subject, while des Fuchses is genitive and means of the fox; the finite verb ist is in position two.
Ich fühle den Pelz des Tieres.
I feel the animal's fur.
fühlen means to feel and das Tier means animal. Den Pelz is accusative because fühlen takes a direct object, while des Tieres is genitive and means of the animal; fühle stands in position two.
Sie streichelt dem Hund über den Pelz.
She strokes the dog's fur.
streicheln means to stroke, der Hund means dog, and über means over or across. Dem Hund is dative because it identifies the animal affected, while über den Pelz is an accusative phrase after über for movement across a surface; the finite verb streichelt is in position two.
Die Farbe des Pelzes ist dunkelbraun.
The colour of the fur is dark brown.
die Farbe means colour and dunkelbraun means dark brown. Des Pelzes is genitive because it specifies whose colour is meant; ist is in position two, and dunkelbraun comes after the linking verb.
Im Winter schützen uns dicke Pelze vor der Kälte.
In winter, thick furs protect us from the cold.
im Winter means in winter, dick means thick, schützen means protect, and die Kälte means the cold. Dicke Pelze is the plural subject, while uns is accusative after schützen and vor der Kälte is a dative phrase after vor for protection from something.
Sie trägt im Winter einen langen Pelz.
She wears a long fur coat in winter.
tragen means to wear or carry, im Winter means in winter, and lang means long. Einen Pelz is accusative because tragen takes a direct object; the finite verb trägt is in position two.
Der alte Pelz hängt im Schrank.
The old fur coat is hanging in the wardrobe.
alt means old, hängen means to hang, and der Schrank means wardrobe or cupboard. Der alte Pelz is nominative because it is the subject, while im Schrank is a dative location phrase; hängt is in position two.
der Schneider — tailor
Der Schneider is a tailor, while die Schneiderin is a female tailor. Its plural is unchanged in spelling: der Schneider, die Schneider; the genitive singular is des Schneiders.
Der Schneider arbeitet in einem kleinen Geschäft.
The tailor works in a small shop.
arbeitet means works, klein means small, and das Geschäft means shop. Der Schneider is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb arbeitet stands in position two.
Ich besuche den Schneider morgen.
I am visiting the tailor tomorrow.
besuche means visit and morgen means tomorrow. Den Schneider is accusative because it is the direct object of besuchen; the finite verb besuche is in position two.
Ich erzähle dem Schneider von dem Problem.
I tell the tailor about the problem.
erzähle means tell, von means about, and das Problem means problem. Dem Schneider is dative because erzählen gives the information to someone; von also forces dative in dem Problem.
Die Arbeit des Schneiders ist sehr präzise.
The tailor's work is very precise.
die Arbeit means the work and präzise means precise. Des Schneiders is genitive because it shows whose work it is; the masculine noun takes -s in the genitive.
Die Schneider arbeiten heute bis spät.
The tailors are working until late today.
arbeiten means work, heute means today, and bis spät means until late. Die Schneider is plural even though Schneider looks like the singular; arbeiten also shows the plural subject.
die Schneiderin — female tailor, dressmaker
Die Schneiderin is the feminine form of der Schneider, tailor. Its plural is die Schneiderinnen, formed with -innen; in the genitive singular, only the article changes: der Schneiderin.
Die Schneiderin näht ein Kleid.
The female tailor is sewing a dress.
näht means sews and das Kleid means dress. Die Schneiderin is nominative because it is the subject, while ein Kleid is accusative because it is the object of näht.
Wir suchen die Schneiderin.
We are looking for the female tailor.
wir means we and suchen means look for. Die Schneiderin is accusative because suchen takes a direct object; with a feminine noun, nominative and accusative both use die.
Ich gebe der Schneiderin den Stoff.
I give the fabric to the female tailor.
gebe means give, der Stoff means the fabric, and den Stoff is the fabric as the thing given. Der Schneiderin is dative because she receives it, while den Stoff is accusative.
Das Atelier der Schneiderin ist neben dem Bahnhof.
The female tailor's studio is next to the station.
das Atelier means studio, neben means next to, and der Bahnhof means station. Der Schneiderin is genitive because it shows possession; dem Bahnhof is dative because neben expresses a location here.
Die Schneiderinnen arbeiten zusammen.
The female tailors work together.
arbeiten means work and zusammen means together. Schneiderinnen is the plural of Schneiderin, formed by changing -in to -innen; the finite verb arbeiten agrees with the plural subject.
wasserdicht — waterproof, watertight
It is a compound of Wasser (water) and dicht (tight or sealed). Before a noun it takes a normal adjective ending, as in eine wasserdichte Tasche.
Die Tasche ist wasserdicht.
The bag is waterproof.
die Tasche means the bag. Wasserdicht is predicative after ist and therefore has no adjective ending; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Ich brauche eine wasserdichte Jacke.
I need a waterproof jacket.
brauchen means to need and die Jacke is a jacket. Eine wasserdichte Jacke is accusative because brauchen takes an accusative object; the adjective gets -e after the feminine accusative article eine.
Diese Tasche ist wasserdichter als meine alte.
This bag is more waterproof than my old one.
diese Tasche means this bag, and alt means old. Wasserdichter is predicative and has no ending; als introduces the thing used for comparison.
Dieses Modell ist am wasserdichtesten.
This model is the most waterproof.
dieses Modell means this model. Am wasserdichtesten is the predicative superlative after ist; do not use the attributive ending in this am form.