panties / little shorts
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panties
A small, close-fitting item of clothing worn as underwear for the lower body, mostly by women and children.
Das kleine Mädchen hat sich schon allein ein Höschen angezogen.
The little girl has already put on panties by herself.
'Höschen' is the diminutive form of 'die Hose' (pants/trousers). The ending '-chen' makes the word neuter ('das Höschen') and means 'little pants.' This explains why it is used for underwear or children's shorts.
Das Kind trägt ein gestreiftes Höschen.
The child is wearing striped little shorts.
The ending '-chen' gives the word a familiar and often cute or affectionate tone. It is used mainly for children's clothing or for women's underwear.
Sie kaufte für ihre Tochter ein paar neue Höschen.
She bought a few new pairs of panties for her daughter.
The word is used almost exclusively for women and toddlers. Other terms are used for men's underwear or shorts for adults.
Im Wäscheschrank liegen die sauberen Höschen.
The clean panties are in the linen cupboard.
pants / trousers
'Hose' and 'Höschen' look similar, but they usually do not mean the same thing. A 'Hose' is a normal piece of clothing for the legs, for example jeans or fabric trousers. 'Höschen' is the diminutive form, but it is often used for underwear, especially for women or children. It can also mean short pants for toddlers. Learners may confuse the words because '-chen' often just means 'small'. Here, the important point is: for a normal small pair of pants, you usually do not automatically say 'Höschen'.
Für das Baby legt Maria ein frisches Höschen in die Tasche.
Maria puts a fresh pair of panties in the bag for the baby.
Wegen des Regens zieht sie im Urlaub lieber eine lange Hose an.
Because of the rain, she prefers to wear long pants on vacation.