das Haus
house
Das Haus (the house) is neuter and takes das. The plural is die Häuser, formed with an umlaut plus an -er ending, which makes it look noticeably different from the singular.
The word appears in two everyday phrases that learners mix up constantly. Nach Hause means "home" in the sense of going there: ich gehe nach Hause (I am going home). Zu Hause means "at home", describing where you already are: ich bin zu Hause (I am at home). Direction takes nach, location takes zu, and both keep the older -e ending on Hause that has otherwise disappeared from modern German. Written as one word, das Zuhause is a noun meaning "home" as a place you belong.
Compounds are extremely common. Die Hausaufgaben are homework, der Haushalt is a household, der Hausmeister is a caretaker or janitor, and das Krankenhaus is a hospital, literally "sick house". Das Rathaus is the town hall.
German also uses Haus where English would say something else. Das Haus verlassen means to leave the building, and in a theater das Haus refers to the audience.
Pronunciation: Haus is one syllable, [haʊs]. The au is a diphthong that sounds like the "ow" in English "how". The plural Häuser is [ˈhɔʏzɐ], where äu makes an "oy" sound as in English "boy", and the s between vowels becomes a "z".
Article / Gender
English
house
Singular
das Haus
Plural
die Häuser
das Haus appears in the following vocabulary collections:
Das Haus ist groß.
The house is big.
Simple subject + verb + adjective.
Ich sehe das Haus.
I see the house.
Direct object uses the accusative case.
Wir gehen in das Haus.
We go into the house.
Use 'in das' for movement toward a place.
- What does Haus mean in German?
- Haus means "house". It is a neuter noun and takes das as its definite article: das Haus.
- What is the plural of Haus?
- The plural is die Häuser, formed with an umlaut plus an -er ending. It is pronounced [ˈhɔʏzɐ], with the äu sounding like the "oy" in English "boy".
- Is Haus masculine, feminine, or neuter?
- Haus is neuter and takes das. In the dative it becomes dem Haus, which contracts with in to give im Haus (in the house).
- What is the difference between nach Hause and zu Hause?
- Nach Hause describes movement toward home: ich fahre nach Hause (I am driving home). Zu Hause describes being at home already: ich bleibe zu Hause (I am staying home).
- What does Krankenhaus mean?
- Das Krankenhaus means "hospital", built from krank (sick) and Haus. Its plural is die Krankenhäuser, following the same umlaut pattern as Haus itself.