das  Haus

A1

Estimated CEFR level.

/haʊs/

🏠 What Does 'das Haus' Mean?

Das Haus (neuter, plural: die Häuser) primarily refers to a building used for living or other purposes. It's a fundamental term in German.

• Main meaning: A building, especially a residential building. (Example: Wir wohnen in einem großen Haus. - We live in a big house.)
• Figurative meanings:
  • Household/Family: The community of people living in a house. (Example: Das ganze Haus war aufgeregt. - The whole household was excited.)
  • Dynasty/Lineage: Especially for noble families. (Example: Das Haus Habsburg. - The House of Habsburg.)
  • Institution/Establishment: A building with a specific function, e.g., an Opernhaus (opera house), Krankenhaus (hospital), Verlagshaus (publishing house). (Example: Das Haus veröffentlicht nur Bestseller. - The publishing house only publishes bestsellers.)
  • Parliament/Chamber: E.g., das Abgeordnetenhaus (House of Representatives).
  • Astrology: One of the twelve sections of the zodiac.

🚨 There are no other articles for 'Haus' in its main meaning as a building. Using 'der' or 'die' here is incorrect.

Grammar Focus: Declining 'das Haus'

Das Haus is a noun of neuter gender (Neutrum). Here is its declension:

Example Sentences

1. Das Haus am See ist wunderschön. (The house by the lake is beautiful.)
2. Das Dach des Hauses muss repariert werden. (The roof of the house needs to be repaired.)
3. Ich gebe dem Hause einen neuen Anstrich. (I'm giving the house a new coat of paint.)
4. Sie verkauft das Haus. (She is selling the house.)
5. Die Häuser in dieser Straße sind sehr alt. (The houses on this street are very old.)
6. Die Geschichte der Häuser ist interessant. (The history of the houses is interesting.)
7. Wir helfen den Häusern mit neuer Isolierung. (We help the houses with new insulation. - metaphoric, more likely 'the residents')
8. Man baut neue Häuser in der Stadt. (They are building new houses in the city.)

Using 'das Haus': Context is Key 🧱

Das Haus is a very common word. Here are some typical contexts:

• Place of residence: "Ich gehe jetzt nach Hause." (I'm going home now. - Note: 'nach Hause' is a fixed phrase, not 'nach Haus'). "Bist du zu Hause?" (Are you at home? - fixed phrase).
• Type of building: You talk about an Einfamilienhaus (single-family house), Mehrfamilienhaus (multi-family house), Reihenhaus (terraced house/row house), Hochhaus (high-rise building), Bauernhaus (farmhouse), etc.
• Institution: Opernhaus (opera house), Krankenhaus (hospital), Rathaus (city hall), Verlagshaus (publishing house), Modehaus (fashion house).
• Idioms (Redewendungen):
  • etwas frei Haus liefern: to deliver something free to the door.
  • Herr im Haus sein: to be the master of the house, to be in charge.
  • mit jemandem/etwas Haus halten: to be economical with someone/something.
  • das Haus hüten: to stay at home, often due to illness (lit. 'to guard the house').

Distinction: 'Gebäude' is a more general term for building. 'Wohnung' refers to a single residential unit, often within a larger house or building (an apartment/flat).

Mnemonics for 'das Haus' 🤔

Article Mnemonic (das): Think of 'das' as the neutral, default box. A Haus is like a basic box structure where people live. It's not inherently masculine or feminine, just a structure - hence das Haus. Alternatively, many fundamental, simple-concept nouns in German are neuter ('das Wasser', 'das Brot', 'das Licht'), and 'Haus' fits this pattern.

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine putting a 'mouse' in the 'house'. 'Haus' sounds a bit like 'house' in English. Picture a simple drawing of a house – the core place ('das' often for core/neutral things) where life happens.

Word Field: Synonyms & Antonyms for Haus 🔄

⚠️ Similar but Different Words

• Haushalt: Refers to the household (economic unit or people living together), not primarily the building.
• Hase: Hare/rabbit (der Hase). Sound similarity can cause confusion.

A Little House Humor 😄

DE: Fragt der Lehrer: "Fritzchen, kannst du mir drei Tierarten nennen, die im Haus leben?"
Fritzchen: "Ja, Herr Lehrer: die Hausmaus, der Hausesel und das Hausschwein!"

EN: The teacher asks: "Fritzchen, can you name three types of animals that live in the house (im Haus)?"
Fritzchen: "Yes, teacher: the house mouse (Hausmaus), the house donkey (Hausesel), and the house pig (Hausschwein)!" (Playing on compound words, as donkeys and pigs don't typically live inside the house).

Poem: My Cozy Home

DE:
Das Haus, mein Schutz, mein fester Ort,
Hier geh' ich ungern wieder fort.
Vier Wände, Dach, Geborgenheit,
Für mich die schönste Lebenszeit.

Im Garten sprießt das junge Grün,
Die Fenster lassen Sonne zieh'n.
Das Haus, es lebt, es atmet mit,
Bei jedem meiner Lebensschritt'.

EN:
The house, my shelter, my firm place,
From here, I'm reluctant to leave this space.
Four walls, a roof, security,
For me, the best time life can be.

In the garden, young green sprouts,
The windows let the sunshine route.
The house, it lives, it breathes along,
With every step where I belong.

Riddle Me This! ❓

DE:
Ich habe Wände, aber keine Hände.
Ich habe ein Dach, doch schlafe nie im Bach.
Ich biete Schutz vor Wind und Nass,
Mein Artikel ist stets 'das'.

Was bin ich?

EN:
I have walls, but no hands.
I have a roof, but never sleep in sands (or: brooks/streams).
I offer shelter from wind and wetness, alas,
My article is always 'das'.

What am I?

(Solution: Das Haus / The house)

Extra Insights into 'das Haus' 💡

Word Compounds (Wortzusammensetzungen): 'Haus' is a very productive base word in German, forming countless compounds:

• Haustür (front door, door of the house)
• Hausaufgabe (homework, task for home)
• Hausmeister (caretaker/janitor, person who looks after the house)
• Krankenhaus (hospital, house for the sick)
• Rathaus (city hall/town hall, house of the council/administration)
• Hochhaus (high-rise building, tall house)
• Spielhaus (playhouse)
• Puppenhaus (doll's house)

Etymology: The word 'Haus' traces back to Germanic roots and is related to the English 'house' and the Dutch 'huis'.