die Kleidung
clothing
All the things worn on the body, such as pants, shirts, dresses, and jackets.
EXAMPLE
Für die Hochzeit kaufte sie sich neue Kleidung.
For the wedding, she bought herself new clothing.
die Kleidung
clothing
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Meanings
Usage tips
Singular only
'Kleidung' (clothing) is a collective noun and is almost always used only in the singular in German. There is no plural form 'Kleidungen'.
EXAMPLE
Im Winter braucht man warme Kleidung.
In winter, you need warm clothing.
Counting individual items
Since 'Kleidung' (clothing) is an uncountable word, German uses 'das Kleidungsstück' (item of clothing; plural: 'die Kleidungsstücke') when you want to name or count individual pieces.
EXAMPLE
Nimm nicht so viele einzelne Kleidungsstücke mit in den Urlaub.
Don't take too many individual items of clothing with you on vacation.
Word structure
The noun 'Kleidung' (clothing) is derived from the verb 'sich kleiden' (to dress oneself). The ending '-ung' turns the action of getting dressed into a noun.
EXAMPLE
Er kleidet sich immer sehr elegant.
He always dresses very elegantly.
Typical adjectives
To describe the type of clothing, 'Kleidung' is often combined with adjectives. Common examples are 'warme Kleidung' (warm clothing), 'sportliche Kleidung' (sporty clothing), or 'bequeme Kleidung' (comfortable clothing).
EXAMPLE
Für die Wanderung empfehle ich bequeme Kleidung und feste Schuhe.
For the hike, I recommend comfortable clothing and sturdy shoes.
Compare with
Kleidung vs Wäsche
laundry
Both words can refer to things worn on the body. „Kleidung“ means the clothes someone wears as a whole, while „Wäsche“ refers to the same or similar items in connection with washing. „Kleidung“ fits when talking generally about what someone wears; „Wäsche“ fits when washing or clean items are involved.
Kleidung
Für die Reise legte sie ihre Kleidung in den Koffer.
She packed her clothes in the suitcase for the trip.
Wäsche
Für die Reise legte sie die frisch gewaschene Wäsche in den Koffer.
She packed the freshly washed laundry in the suitcase for the trip.
In real life
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