What do you call Underwear in German?

It’s the first thing you put on and (usually) the last thing anyone sees. In German, it’s die Unterwäsche. This is your German word of the day, and whether you’re doing laundry, packing for a trip, or shopping for clothes, it’s a practical one to know.

The noun Unterwäsche means underwear or undergarments, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. It covers all types of underwear - men’s, women’s, fancy or functional.

It’s a feminine noun, so we say die Unterwäsche (want to finally make sense of gender? This quick video lesson will clear it up for good).

Pronunciation

Unterwäsche is pronounced [UN-ter-vesh-uh].

• Unter - short u, as in “put,”

• Wäsche - “VESH-uh” (the ä is like the e in “bed”),

• Stress is on the first syllable: UN-ter-wäsche

It sounds tidy and private - just like what it describes.

Example sentences:

Ich muss noch Unterwäsche waschen.I still need to wash underwear.

Vergiss nicht, frische Unterwäsche einzupacken!Don’t forget to pack clean underwear!

Nuance and usage tips

Unterwäsche refers to underwear in general - regardless of gender or style.

Some helpful distinctions:

• Herrenunterwäsche - men’s underwear

• Damenunterwäsche - women’s underwear

• Reizwäsche - lingerie or seductive underwear

• Thermounterwäsche - thermal underwear

It’s a collective noun - used mostly in the singular - even when referring to multiple pieces.

So instead of saying “drei Unterwäschen”, Germans say:“Drei Stück Unterwäsche” - three items of underwear.

How does this word come up in real conversations?

It’s practical, everyday vocabulary you’ll hear in:

• Laundry and packing contexts

• Shopping and clothing ads

• Health and hygiene tips

“Hast du genug Unterwäsche für die Reise?” - Do you have enough underwear for the trip?“Ich brauche neue Unterwäsche.” - I need new underwear.