German · Schneider / Schuster
The trousers are too long and you ask to have them taken up: what to say in German
The trousers are too long and you ask to have them shortened.
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How it's done. Kürzen is to shorten, enger machen to take in, Saum a hem. Such workshops are called Änderungsschneiderei.Prepared by the Movko team, November 2026. This is language help, not legal or medical advice: check the rules with the office itself.
Cheat sheet for your visit
The first phrase is open: tap ▶ to listen, or “Show” to show it to the other person. The rest of the dialogue is in the course in the app.
1
YOU START
Guten Tag, die Hose ist mir zu lang. Können Sie sie kürzen?
GOO-tayn tahk, dee KHOH-zeh eest meer tsoo lahng. KYOH-nayn zee zee KYOOR-tsayn?
Good day, these trousers are too long for me. Can you shorten them?
Or say:Guten Tag, ich möchte diese Hose kürzen lassen.
GOO-tayn tahk, eekh MYOKH-teh DEE-zeh KHOH-zeh KYOOR-tsayn LAH-sayn.
THEY SAY
Ja, das ist kein Problem. Ziehen Sie sie bitte mal an.Yah, dahs eest kighn proh-BLEM. TSEE-ayn zee zee BEE-teh mahl ahn.
Yes, that's no problem. Please try them on.
They might also say:
Gern. Probieren Sie sie bitte an, dann stecke ich sie ab.
Gehrn. Proh-BEE-rayn zee zee BEE-teh ahn, dahn SHTEH-keh eekh zee ahp.
Gladly. Please try them on and I'll pin them.
2
YOU REPLY
Wie viel kostet das?
Vee feel KOS-tet dahs?
How much does it cost?
THEY SAY
Das macht zwölf Euro.Dahs mahkht tsvyolf OY-roh.
That's twelve euros.
3
YOU FINISH
Bis wann ist sie fertig?
Bees vahn eest zee FEHR-teekh?
When will they be ready?
THEY SAY
Kommen Sie am Freitag, dann ist sie fertig.KOH-mayn zee ahm FRIGH-tuhk, dahn eest zee FEHR-teekh.
Come on Friday, then they will be ready.
The course is in the app
This dialogue is part of the course “German for life in Germany”: 416 situations with audio, a pronunciation guide and spaced review.
On the website the first dialogue, the 112 category, the rescue phrases and the “Basics” are fully open.
Words worth knowing
Guten
GOO-tayn
adjective
good (in greetings)
Tag
tahk
noun
day
Hose
KHOH-zeh
noun
trousers
ist
eest
verb
is
lang
lahng
adjective
long
Können
KYOH-nayn
verb
to be able to, can
26 more words, with explanations, base forms and tap-a-word help, are in the app.
If you did not understand
Können Sie das bitte wiederholen?
KYOH-nayn zee dahs BEE-teh vee-dehr-KHOH-layn?
Can you repeat that, please?
Was bedeutet das?
Vahs beh-DOY-tet dahs?
What does this mean?
Similar situations
The heel has come off your shoe and you go to the cobblerSchneider / Schuster · A2 in the app
→You take a coat to the dry cleaner'sReinigung · A2 in the app
→You ask where you can scan a documentCopyshop · A1 in the app
→You need a certified copy of a document and ask the copy shop whether they do itCopyshop · A2 in the app
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