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English Vocabulary


A pair of pants

Sunny19
User since 2008
Posts: 121

18 Feb. 2009

In my today's vocabulary revision a pair of pants is translated in German with: ein Paar Hosen (several articles of clothing)


whereas a pair of trousers is just: eine Hose (one article), as I remember.


What do you think about this subject? Is there a different number of garments when using "a pair of pants" and "a pair of trousers"?

2 comments

  • User since 2006
    Posts: 2715

    19 Feb. 2009

    We speak neither German, not English in heaven. So I don't know if Earthlings wearing pants have put on one or two pants. Probably it is neither one, nor the other. They wear "a pair of pants" even though they don't wear 2 pants, the one over the other. I guess the German translation is possibly wrong.


    Anyhow, I wear a pair of wings. There is no doubt about that because I didn't crash as I flew down.
  • User since 2006
    Posts: 2715

    20 Feb. 2009

    Pleased to hear the Angel had a happy landing.


    UK : a pair of trousers (trouser is often used in the plural)
    North America: a pair of pants (pant in the sing. in a kind of breath)
    Ge : eine Hose
    Fr : un pantalon
    Sp : un par de pantalones


    UK : a pair of pants / pants (= an underwear / boxers or boxers shorts )
    North America: underpants
    Fr : un caleçon, un slip
    Ge : eine Unterhose
    Sp : un calzones


    Mind the place where you are on earth and don't play the smarty pants if you don't wear the pants.
    Mind the place where you are on earth and don't be all talk and no trousers if you don't wear the trousers.


    hints
    to wear the pants/trousers = to be the boss or at least control things.
    a smarty pants is someone displaying intelligence in a boring way.
    to be all talk and no trousers = to talk the talk but not walk the walk = to talk about doing big things, but without taking any action.

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