"The shirt is clean."

Übersetzung: Das Hemd ist sauber.

[Soglio]

Kann man nicht sagen, "Das Hemd ist rein"?

[wataya]

Ja, das geht. Mich erinnert das Wort aber immer ein wenig an Waschmittelwerbung. "Sauber" ist gebräuchlicher.

[Soglio]

:-) Dann sage ich "sauber." Aber das ist interessant. "Rein" bedeutet "sauberer," oder nur in der Werbung?

[wataya]

At least to me it feels somewhat stronger than "sauber", yes. (But it doesn't really make any sense. If something is clean it's clean. Not sure what "super clean" means when you look at your garments in the real world :) )

EDIT: Sorry, accidentally switched to English . I guess I should go to bed now…

[Soglio]

Thank you. One more question, if I may? Would you be more likely to use "rein" in certain contexts or in reference to some things rather than others? Or is it mostly a redundant word in the lexicon, and/or rarely used?

[wataya]

It's not rare. I think it's mostly used in the sense of "pure, unmixed". You'd also use it if you refer so someone's skin:

• "saubere Haut" means essentially that you have washed yourself :)
• "reine Haut" means a clear skin/complexion

Or for clean air: reine Luft. Duden gives a lot of good examples:
http://is.gd/UXo0Df

There is nothing wrong with using it for clean clothes. I believe the main thing that keeps me from using it in this context is that I don't want to sound like a TV ad :) Every German has heard the slogan "Nicht nur sauber, sondern rein" at least a thousand times, so the association is certainly there. Guess these PR people know their stuff :)

[Soglio]

Thanks. Nice distinction: that does make sense.

[jetti2311]

Hätte man nicht kleidungsstück auch nehmen können?

[MultiLinguAlex]

Nein. Eine Hose oder eine Socke ist ja auch ein Kleidungsstück, aber wohl etwas anderes als ein Hemd ;-)

[Mahmoud.Zi]

Sauber bedeutet Rain?

[MultiLinguAlex]

Sauber bedeutet "rein". "Rain" ist das englische Wort für "Regen".