German · Body & Health

"Hair" in German: Haare

die Haare

Say it: HAH-ruhfeminine plural · die Haarenoun/ˈhaːrə/

Hair on the head is usually die Haare in the plural. Germans say lange Haare, kurze Haare, and Ich schneide mir die Haare. A single strand can be ein Haar.

At the salon

Ich möchte die Haare etwas kürzer.
I'd like the hair a bit shorter.
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How to pronounce Haare

Say it

HAH-ruh

/ˈhaːrə/

HAH-ruh. Long ah, soft final e. The aa is one long vowel, not two separate a sounds.

"Hair" in German: quick reference

GermanEnglish
die Haarehair (on the head)

Default plural for someone's hair.

ein Haara hair / a strand

One strand, or hair in compounds.

Haare schneidento cut hair

Ich lasse mir die Haare schneiden.

blonde / dunkle Haareblond / dark hair

Color adjectives agree in the plural.

How to use Haare in real life

  1. 1At the salon

    Ich möchte die Haare etwas kürzer.

    I'd like the hair a bit shorter.

    Die Haare stays plural even when English says hair.

  2. 2Complimenting a friend

    Deine Haare sehen heute toll aus!

    Your hair looks great today!

    Deine agrees with plural Haare.

  3. 3After swimming

    Meine Haare sind noch nass.

    My hair is still wet.

    Use plural sind with Haare.

Mistakes English speakers make with Haare

Incorrect: Mein Haar ist lang. (for a full head of hair)

Correct: Meine Haare sind lang.

Talk about a full head of hair with plural die Haare, not singular Haar.

Incorrect: Ich wasche mein Haare.

Correct: Ich wasche mir die Haare.

Use the plural and often the dative mir for body grooming.

Good to know

Hair talk is casual and frequent: people ask about Haarschnitt and Farbe. In shops you will see Haarpflege for haircare. Saying jemand hat die Haare schön is a normal compliment.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Before a haircut appointment

  1. ChatPal

    Wie willst du die Haare haben?

    How do you want your hair?

  2. You

    Nur die Spitzen. Die Haare sollen länger bleiben.

    Just the ends. The hair should stay longer.

  3. ChatPal

    Okay. Sollen die Haare gestuft werden?

    Okay. Should the hair be layered?

  4. You

    Nein, lieber glatt. Die Haare hängen sonst komisch.

    No, preferably straight. Otherwise the hair hangs oddly.

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"Hair" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Hair" in German

Is hair singular or plural in German?

Usually plural: die Haare. One strand is ein Haar.

How do you say I cut my hair?

Ich schneide mir die Haare or Ich lasse mir die Haare schneiden at a salon.

How do adjectives work with Haare?

Plural endings: lange Haare, dunkle Haare, kurze Haare.

What is Haarschnitt?

A haircut. You can say Ich brauche einen Haarschnitt.

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