Kleider machen Leute
clothes make the man; people judge by appearances
Origin
The idea is old and traces back to Latin 'vestis virum reddit' (clothing makes the man). The German phrase was cemented and popularised by Gottfried Keller's novella of the same name (1874) from 'Die Leute von Seldwyla'.
Building blocks
Words in this expression
Grammar that uses this word
- selbst / selber (-self, personally)selbst / selber (Betonung)
- Plural with -er (das Kind → die Kinder)Plural mit -er
- Simple past 'musste' (had to, from müssen)Präteritum 'musste' (müssen)
- Simple past 'wollte' (wanted to, from wollen)Präteritum 'wollte' (wollen)
- Simple past 'durfte' (was allowed to, from dürfen)Präteritum 'durfte' (dürfen)
- Simple past 'sollte' (was supposed to, from sollen)Präteritum 'sollte' (sollen)
Examples
Im wirkte er seriöser — Kleider .
In a suit he immediately seemed more respectable — clothes make the man.