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 [OON-ter-vɛ-shuh].
Unter like “oon-ter,”
Wäsche rhymes with “measure” but ends with a soft -uh,
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.
It can also appear in humorous or slightly awkward situations, just like in English.
Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)
Lina: Bist du bereit für den Urlaub?
Tom: Fast. Ich suche noch meine Unterwäsche.
Lina: Die liegt bestimmt im Wäschekorb.
Tom: Mist… dann muss ich wohl noch waschen.
Lina: Are you ready for the trip?
Tom: Almost. I’m still looking for my underwear.
Lina: It’s probably in the laundry basket.
Tom: Shoot… guess I have to do laundry.
Grammatical case examples:
Nominative:
Die Unterwäsche ist noch feucht.
The underwear is still damp.
Accusative:
Ich habe die Unterwäsche in den Koffer gepackt.
I packed the underwear in the suitcase.
Dative:
Mit der richtigen Unterwäsche bleibt man warm.
With the right underwear, you stay warm.
Genitive:
Die Farbe der Unterwäsche war rot.
The color of the underwear was red.
Feminine case pattern: die, die, der, der
Word variations and language tidbits
Related terms:
BH – bra
Boxershorts / Boxers – boxer shorts
Slip – briefs / panties
Unterhose – underpants
Sportunterwäsche – sports underwear
Wäschekorb – laundry basket
Cultural note: Germans are fairly pragmatic when talking about Unterwäsche—it’s treated as a normal clothing topic, not taboo. You’ll even find it featured prominently in discount supermarket ads!
📘 Duden entry
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