German · Home, Clothes & Daily Life
"House" in German: Haus
das Haus
House in German is das Haus, a neuter noun with the plural die Häuser. Many Germans, especially in cities, live in a Wohnung (apartment), so Haus often just means the building. You will also hear it in zu Hause (at home) and nach Hause (home, as a direction).
Describing where you live
Wir wohnen in einem alten Haus mit Garten.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce Haus
Say it
HOWSS
/haʊ̯s/
Haus sounds like English "house" with a crisp s at the end: HOWSS. The au is the "ow" in "how". In the plural Häuser, äu sounds like "oy": HOY-zer.
"House" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| das Haus | house, building The default word for a house or any building. | The default word for a house or any building. |
| das Einfamilienhaus | detached house A house for one family, common in suburbs and villages. | A house for one family, common in suburbs and villages. |
| das Reihenhaus | terraced house, row house One of a row of houses joined together. | One of a row of houses joined together. |
| zu Hause | at home Where you are: Ich bin zu Hause. | Where you are: Ich bin zu Hause. |
| nach Hause | home (direction) Where you are going: Ich gehe nach Hause. | Where you are going: Ich gehe nach Hause. |
How to use Haus in real life
- 1Describing where you live
Wir wohnen in einem alten Haus mit Garten.
We live in an old house with a garden.
After in, when you describe a location, das Haus becomes einem Haus.
- 2Leaving work
Ich bin müde, ich gehe jetzt nach Hause.
I'm tired, I'm going home now.
Hause with an e only appears in the fixed phrases nach Hause and zu Hause.
- 3Looking for a place to buy
Die Häuser in dieser Gegend sind leider sehr teuer.
Unfortunately, the houses in this area are very expensive.
The plural adds an umlaut and -er: das Haus, die Häuser.
Mistakes English speakers make with Haus
Incorrect: Ich bin nach Hause.
Correct: Ich bin zu Hause.
Zu Hause means you are already at home. Nach Hause is only for going there: Ich fahre nach Hause.
Incorrect: Der Haus ist sehr groß.
Correct: Das Haus ist sehr groß.
Haus is neuter. Compounds keep the gender of their last part, so it is also das Krankenhaus and das Rathaus.
Good to know
Haus appears in many everyday compounds. Das Krankenhaus (hospital) is literally "sick house", das Rathaus is the town hall, and das Kaufhaus is a department store. In many German homes, people take off their shoes at the door and wear Hausschuhe, literally "house shoes", which means slippers.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Visiting a friend's new home in Dresden
ChatPal
Willkommen! Das ist also unser neues Haus.
Welcome! So this is our new house.
You
Wow, es ist so hell! Und ihr habt einen Garten!
Wow, it's so bright! And you have a garden!
ChatPal
Ja, der Garten war der Grund, warum wir das Haus gekauft haben.
Yes, the garden was the reason we bought the house.
You
Das verstehe ich. Hier würde ich mich auch sofort zu Hause fühlen.
I get that. I would feel at home here right away too.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"House" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "House" in German
Is Haus masculine, feminine, or neuter?
Haus is neuter: das Haus. As an object it stays das Haus, and after words like in or mit it becomes dem Haus: mit dem Haus, in einem Haus.
What is the difference between zu Hause and nach Hause?
Zu Hause answers "where?": Ich bin zu Hause (I'm at home). Nach Hause answers "where to?": Ich komme um sechs nach Hause (I'll get home at six). You may also see zuhause written as one word, which is accepted too.
What is the plural of Haus?
Die Häuser. After words like in or mit, the plural adds an n: in den Häusern.
Does Haus also mean home?
Not quite. Das Haus is the building. For the feeling of home, German uses das Zuhause, as in Das ist mein Zuhause. For your home country or hometown, people say die Heimat.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
