01
das Haus
house
A building mainly used as a place to live for one or more families.
example
Wir haben letztes Jahr ein kleines Haus am Stadtrand gekauft.
Last year we bought a small house on the outskirts of town.
das Haus
house
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Direction vs. location
The expressions 'nach Hause' (home, toward home) and 'zu Hause' (at home) are fundamental. 'Nach Hause' expresses movement (to where?), while 'zu Hause' describes a location (where?).
EXAMPLE
Ich gehe jetzt nach Hause.
I'm going home now.
Common in compounds
The word 'Haus' (house) is a very productive component of compound nouns. It often describes the purpose of a building.
EXAMPLE
Im Rathaus befindet sich die Stadtverwaltung.
The city administration is located in the town hall.
Fixed expression
The expression 'von Haus aus' means 'by nature' or 'originally'. It describes an innate quality or an original field of training.
EXAMPLE
Sie ist von Haus aus Juristin, arbeitet aber jetzt als Künstlerin.
She is originally a lawyer, but now works as an artist.
Use without an article
The fixed expressions 'zu Hause' (at home) and 'nach Hause' (home, toward home) are always used without an article. You don't say 'im zu Hause' or 'ins nach Hause'.
EXAMPLE
Fühl dich wie zu Hause!
Make yourself at home!
Figurative meaning
Sometimes 'das Haus' (the house) stands for all the people who live in it. It is then treated like a group of people and can have its own verb in the sentence.
EXAMPLE
Das ganze Haus hat mitgefiebert, als die Nationalmannschaft spielte.
The whole house was on the edge of its seat when the national team was playing.
Context: business
When 'Haus' (house) appears in the context of fashion, publishing, or finance, it often means 'Firma' (company) or 'Unternehmen' (enterprise/business). It is often combined directly with the name of the industry.
EXAMPLE
Das Verlagshaus hat einen neuen Bestseller veröffentlicht.
The publishing house has released a new bestseller.
Context: history
In historical texts, 'das Haus' (the house) can refer to a noble family line or a dynasty. It is often connected with a family name.
EXAMPLE
Das Haus von Thurn und Taxis war für die Entwicklung des Postwesens wichtig.
The House of Thurn and Taxis was important for the development of the postal system.
Compare with
Haus vs Unternehmen
company / undertaking
'das Haus' and 'das Unternehmen' can both mean a company or institution. 'Unternehmen' is the normal, clear word for an economic organization. 'Haus' is used in this sense more in certain fields or in formal language, for example in publishing, banking, fashion, or hotels. It often sounds like 'our company' from the company's own perspective. In everyday language, 'Unternehmen' is usually easier to understand. 'Haus' fits when the style is a bit more official or when an industry uses this wording.
Haus
Unser Haus arbeitet seit vielen Jahren mit diesem Verlag zusammen.
Our firm has worked with this publisher for many years.
Unternehmen
Wegen der hohen Kosten sucht das Unternehmen neue Partner.
Because of the high costs, the company is looking for new partners.
In real life
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