German Hygiene & Personal Care Vocabulary
This set covers the everyday routine of getting clean and looking presentable: duschen (to shower), die Seife (soap), and der Haarschnitt (haircut) sit alongside tools like der Kamm and der Fön. One trap here is der Coiffeur, which looks French and is used in Swiss German for "hairdresser," but in Germany you'll almost always hear der Friseur instead, so don't be surprised if a German speaker doesn't recognize the word.
Learn these 16 words
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All 16 words
- duschenA1
shower
Ich bade nicht so gern, ich dusche lieber. — I don't like bathing, I prefer to shower.
plural: die Shampoos
shampoo
Ich wasche meine Haare mit Shampoo. — I wash my hair with shampoo.
plural: die Zahnpasten
toothpaste
Ich brauche neue Zahnpasta. — I need new toothpaste.
plural: die Deodorants
deodorant
Er benutzt jeden Tag Deodorant. — He uses deodorant every day.
has showered
Ich hat geduscht bevor ich zur Arbeit ging. — I showered before going to work.
plural: die Kämme
comb
Er kämmt sich mit einem Kamm. — He combs his hair with a comb.
cosmetics
Kosmetik können Sie im Erdgeschoss kaufen. — You can buy cosmetics on the ground floor.
plural: die Seifen
soap
Hier gibt es keine Seife. — There is no soap here.
- waschenA2
wash oneself
Wo kann ich mir die Hände waschen? — Where can I wash my hands?
plural: die Coiffeure
hairdresser
Du siehst toll aus! Wer ist dein Coiffeur? — You look great! Who is your hairdresser?
plural: die Frisuren
hairstyle
Du hast eine tolle Frisur! Warst du beim Friseur? — You have a great hairstyle! Were you at the hairdresser?
plural: die Taschentücher
tissue/handkerchief
Hast du ein Taschentuch für mich? — Do you have a tissue for me?
to moisturize / wet / dampen / humidify
Sie befeuchtet ihre Haut mit Creme. — She moisturizes her skin with cream.
plural: die Föne
hairdryer
Ich trockne mein Haar mit dem Fön. — I dry my hair with the hairdryer.
plural: die Haarschnitte
haircut / hairstyle
Ich gehe zum Friseur für einen neuen Haarschnitt. — I go to the hairdresser for a new haircut.
cologne
Er sprühte sich etwas Kölnischwasser auf die Haut. — He sprayed some cologne on his skin.
How to learn this set
Notice that most of the tool nouns in this list are masculine: der Kamm, der Fön, der Rasierer. That's not a grammar rule so much as a pattern worth memorizing as a group, since gadget-like objects in German often end up der. Separately, drill hat geduscht as a chunk rather than building it from duschen yourself, since the ge- placement and the auxiliary haben are exactly what English speakers guess wrong. For abtupfen and befeuchten, learn them with a hand motion (dabbing, misting) since these are the two verbs learners tend to mix up in meaning.
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Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between der Friseur and der Coiffeur?
They both mean hairdresser, but der Friseur is standard in Germany while der Coiffeur is the term used in Switzerland and parts of Austria. Stick with Friseur unless you're specifically learning Swiss German.
Is Rasierer the same as Rasiermesser?
No. Der Rasierer is a general razor (often electric), while das Rasiermesser specifically means a straight razor or blade. Use Rasierer for everyday shaving talk.
Why is die Zahnpasta feminine?
It comes from die Paste (paste), and German nouns typically keep the gender of their root word even in compounds. The same logic gives you die Seife as feminine on its own, unrelated pattern, just something to notice rather than derive.
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