die Hose
pants / trousers
A piece of clothing that covers the legs and is fastened at the upper body.
EXAMPLE
Ich brauche eine neue Hose für die Arbeit.
I need a new pair of pants for work.
die Hose
pants / trousers
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Meanings
in die Hose gehen
to go wrong
A colloquial expression meaning that something fails, goes wrong, or does not work out.
EXAMPLE
Der Plan, alle zu überraschen, ist leider total in die Hose gegangen.
The plan to surprise everyone unfortunately went completely wrong.
die Hosen anhaben
to wear the pants
A colloquial expression meaning that someone is the decisive or dominant person in a relationship or group.
EXAMPLE
Bei ihnen zu Hause hat sie eindeutig die Hosen an.
At their house, she is clearly the one who wears the pants.
sich in die Hose machen
to be scared stiff
A colloquial expression meaning to be very afraid. More rarely also meant literally, when someone loses control of their bladder out of fear or laughter.
EXAMPLE
Als der große Hund auf ihn zurannte, hat er sich fast in die Hose gemacht.
When the big dog ran toward him, he was almost scared stiff.
Usage tips
False friend
Although 'Hose' looks like the English word 'hose' (garden hose), it means 'pants' or 'trousers'. This is a common source of confusion.
EXAMPLE
Für die Gartenarbeit trage ich eine alte Hose.
I wear an old pair of pants for gardening.
Use in the singular
In German, 'die Hose' is usually used in the singular to refer to one garment with two legs. So you say 'eine Hose' (a pair of pants), not 'ein Paar Hosen' (a pair of pants).
EXAMPLE
Ich habe mir gestern eine neue Hose gekauft.
I bought myself a new pair of pants yesterday.
Fixed expression
The colloquial expression 'in die Hose gehen' (to go wrong) describes a failure. The subject of the sentence is the plan or action that fails.
EXAMPLE
Unsere geplante Überraschungsparty ist leider in die Hose gegangen.
Our planned surprise party unfortunately went wrong.
Fixed expression
The idiom 'die Hosen anhaben' (to wear the pants) means to have control or decision-making power. The person who makes the decisions is the subject of the sentence.
EXAMPLE
In dieser Abteilung hat ganz klar die Projektleiterin die Hosen an.
In this department, the project manager is clearly the one who wears the pants.
Reflexive expression
The expression 'sich in die Hose machen' means to be very afraid. Pay attention to the reflexive pronoun 'sich', which refers to the person who is afraid.
EXAMPLE
Vor der wichtigen Prüfung habe ich mir fast in die Hose gemacht.
Before the important exam, I was almost scared stiff.
Compare with
Hose vs Höschen
panties / little shorts
Hose is the general term for this item of clothing and can also refer to a child's pair of shorts. Höschen here specifically refers to a small, short pair of pants for a toddler. Hose is appropriate as the neutral term, while Höschen is used for the small, childlike form.
Hose
Das Kind trägt heute eine kurze Hose.
The child is wearing a pair of shorts today.
Höschen
Das Kleinkind trägt heute ein kurzes Höschen.
The toddler is wearing a little pair of shorts today.
In real life
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