German Bathroom Vocabulary
This set covers the fixtures and gear you'd actually find in a German bathroom: die Dusche, das Waschbecken, der Spiegel, die Badewanne. One trap for English speakers is der Föhn (hair dryer), which comes from a brand name much like "Hoover" did for vacuums in English, so it doesn't sound like any English word you'd guess. Another is that die Toilette covers both the room and the fixture, where English speakers often reach for "bathroom" out of politeness.
Learn these 18 words
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All 18 words
plural: die Bäder
bathroom
Wir haben kein großes Bad. — We don't have a large bathroom.
plural: die Duschen
shower
Unsere Wohnung hat nur eine Dusche. — Our apartment has only a shower.
plural: die Toiletten
toilet
Wo ist die Toilette, bitte? — Where is the toilet, please?
toilet paper
Wir brauchen mehr Toilettenpapier. — We need more toilet paper.
plural: die Waschbecken
sink
Das Waschbecken im Bad ist neu. — The sink in the bathroom is new.
plural: die Duschgels
shower gel
Ich nehme das Duschgel mit Vanilleduft. — I use the vanilla-scented shower gel.
plural: die Föhne
hair dryer
Der Föhn ist im Schrank. — The hair dryer is in the cupboard.
plural: die Handtücher
towel
Gibst du mir bitte ein frisches Handtuch? — Will you please give me a fresh towel?
plural: die Rasierer
razor
Der Rasierer liegt auf dem Regal. — The razor is on the shelf.
plural: die Wasserhähne
tap
Der Wasserhahn tropft schon wieder. — The tap is dripping again.
plural: die Bademäntel
bathrobe
Sie trägt einen weichen Bademantel. — She wears a soft bathrobe.
plural: die Badematten
bath mat
Die Badematte liegt vor der Badewanne. — The bath mat lies in front of the bathtub.
plural: die Badewannen
bathtub
Nach einem langen Arbeitstag setzte sie sich in die Badewanne. — After a long workday she settled into the bathtub.
plural: die Duschvorhänge
shower curtain
Der Duschvorhang ist ganz nass geworden. — The shower curtain got completely wet.
plural: die Spiegel
mirror
Ich möchte gerne sehen, wie mein Kleid sitzt. Hast du einen Spiegel? — I would like to see how my dress fits. Do you have a mirror?
plural: die Waschlappen
washcloth
Der Waschlappen hängt neben der Dusche. — The washcloth hangs next to the shower.
plural: die Fliesen
tile
Die blaue Fliese im Bad ist kaputt. — The blue tile in the bathroom is broken.
plural: die Toiletten
toilet
Die Toilette ist neben dem Badezimmer. — The toilet is next to the bathroom.
How to learn this set
Several words here are compounds built on a base noun plus a bathroom-specific piece: der Duschvorhang (Dusche + Vorhang, curtain), der Bademantel (Bad + Mantel, coat), and die Badematte (Bad + Matte, mat). Once you know Vorhang, Mantel and Matte on their own, the compounds stop being separate vocabulary and become recognizable combinations. Drill the der/die/das for das Handtuch, der Waschlappen and die Fliese together since they're the three you'll mix up most when describing what's actually in the room. For der Rasierer and der Föhn, both masculine and both -er-ending, notice the pattern: agent-like nouns describing a tool that does something to you tend to land masculine in German.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between das Bad and die Toilette in German?
Das Bad is the whole room, bathtub, sink, mirror and all. Die Toilette can mean the room too, but usually points at the fixture itself. If you're at someone's house and need the toilet, ask for die Toilette, not das Bad.
Why is das Waschbecken neuter and der Wasserhahn masculine?
There's no logical reason tied to meaning, German just assigns gender by word form, not by what the object does. Waschbecken ends in the neuter-leaning suffix pattern of compound nouns built on das Becken (basin), while Hahn (tap, also 'rooster') has always been masculine. You have to learn each one with its article.
Is der Föhn really the German word for hair dryer?
Yes, though it's originally a brand name (like calling a vacuum a Hoover) that became the everyday word. It's also spelled Fön in some dictionaries, but Föhn is the more common spelling now.
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