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Questions & Answers about Die Hose ist locker.
Why is die Hose singular in German when pants is always plural in English?
In German Hose is a singular feminine noun (die Hose) that refers to one pair of trousers. The plural form Hosen is used only when you mean multiple pairs of trousers. English treats “pants” as plural even for one garment, but German treats one item as singular.
Why is the verb ist used instead of sind?
Since die Hose is grammatically singular in German, you must use the singular form of the verb sein, which is ist. If you had die Hosen (multiple pairs), you would say die Hosen sind.
Why isn’t the adjective locker inflected? Why not lockere or lockeres?
When an adjective follows a linking verb like sein (predicative position), it remains uninflected. So you say die Hose ist locker. By contrast, attributive adjectives (those that come before a noun) do take endings, for example eine lockere Hose.
What exactly does locker mean? Is it the same as “loose” in English?
locker means “loose‐fitting,” “not tight,” or “baggy.” It describes the fit of clothing. Note that English “loose” can also mean “not securely fastened,” but in German you’d use lose (e.g. die Schraube ist lose) for that sense.
How would I say “My pants are too tight” or “My pants are very loose” in German?
Use meine Hose (singular) or meine Hosen (plural) depending on context. For one pair:
- Meine Hose ist zu eng. (My pants are too tight.)
- Meine Hose ist sehr locker. (My pants are very loose.)
If you refer to multiple pairs: - Meine Hosen sind zu eng.
- Meine Hosen sind sehr locker.
Can you drop the article and just say Hose ist locker?
In everyday German you normally keep an article or possessive pronoun: die Hose, meine Hose, seine Hose. Dropping the article sounds like a newspaper headline, a label, or a note (e.g. on a laundry tag), but it isn’t used in full spoken sentences.
What’s the difference between attributive and predicative adjectives in this context?
Attributive adjectives come before the noun and must carry an ending that matches gender, number, and case. Example: eine lockere Hose. Predicative adjectives come after a linking verb like sein and stay uninflected: die Hose ist locker.