German Clothing, Sizes and Shopping for Clothes

Clothing vocabulary in German, how to ask for sizes, try things on and return them, and the differences between store returns and online withdrawal rights.

Shopping for clothes in Germany, Austria or Switzerland is a practical way to practise German. The vocabulary is easy, and knowing your rights on returns helps.

Clothing vocabulary

die Kleidung — clothing
das Hemd — shirt
die Bluse — blouse
das T-Shirt
der Pullover — jumper
die Hose — trousers
die Jeans
der Rock — skirt
das Kleid — dress
die Jacke — jacket
der Mantel — coat
der Anzug — suit
die Unterwäsche — underwear
die Socken — socks
die Schuhe — shoes
die Stiefel — boots
die Turnschuhe / Sneaker — trainers
die Mütze — hat (woolly)
der Schal — scarf
der Gürtel — belt
die Tasche — bag

Materials and colours

Baumwolle (cotton), Wolle (wool), Seide (silk), Leder (leather), Leinen (linen)
rot, blau, grün, gelb, schwarz, weiß, grau, braun, rosa

Sizes

die Größe — size (clothing)
die Schuhgröße — shoe size
Welche Größe haben Sie? — What size are you?
Ich habe Größe 38. — I'm a size 38.
Ich trage Schuhgröße 42. — I take a size 42 shoe.
S, M, L, XL

German and other European sizes differ from UK and US sizes. A women's size 38 is roughly a UK 12 and a US 8, but brands vary, so try things on.

In the shop

Kann ich Ihnen helfen? — Can I help you?
Ich schaue nur, danke. — I'm just looking, thanks.
Ich suche eine Jacke. — I'm looking for a jacket.
Haben Sie das in Größe M? — Do you have this in size M?
Haben Sie das in einer anderen Farbe? — Do you have this in another colour?
Kann ich das anprobieren? — May I try this on?
die Umkleidekabine — fitting room
Es passt. — It fits.
Es ist zu groß / zu klein / zu eng / zu weit. — It's too big / small / tight / loose.
Es steht Ihnen gut. — It suits you.
Ich nehme es. — I'll take it.

Prices and sales

Was kostet das?
reduziert — reduced
der Rabatt — discount
der Sale / der Ausverkauf — sale
das Sonderangebot — special offer
die Kasse — checkout
der Kassenbon — receipt

Returns: what to know

In many German shops, taking back or exchanging an item you simply changed your mind about is a goodwill policy, not a legal right. This is a common surprise. Check the shop's policy before buying, and keep the receipt:

der Umtausch — exchange
die Rückgabe — return
der Gutschein — voucher, often given instead of a refund
Umtausch nur mit Kassenbon. — Exchange only with receipt.

If an item is faulty, you have legal rights to a remedy from the seller (Gewährleistung).

Online shopping differs. For purchases made at a distance, EU rules give consumers a 14-day right of withdrawal (das Widerrufsrecht) in most cases.

Opening hours

Clothing shops are usually open Monday to Saturday, and closed on Sundays, with exceptions in some tourist areas.

Payment

Kann ich mit Karte zahlen?
bar — cash
Girocard — the widely used debit card
kontaktlos — contactless

Compliments and style

Das sieht gut aus. — That looks good.
Die Farbe steht dir. — The colour suits you.
elegant, sportlich, bequem — elegant, sporty, comfortable

Practical tips

Greet staff when you enter: Guten Tag.
Try before you buy, since return policies may be strict.
Check sizes against the brand's chart.
Keep receipts for at least a couple of weeks.

Common mistakes

Assuming you can always return unwanted clothes.
Mixing up Größe (clothes) and Schuhgröße (shoes).
Forgetting that sizes differ from UK and US.

Look up clothing words with English German Dictionary →