Breakdown of Den nye computer er bærbar.
være
to be
computeren
the computer
den
the (common, before adjective)
ny
new
Questions & Answers about Den nye computer er bærbar.
How does the suffix -bar work to create the word bærbar?
The suffix -bar works just like the English suffix "-able". It attaches to the root of a verb to show that something is capable of that action. Here, it attaches to the root of the verb at bære (to carry), making bærbar literally mean "carry-able" or "portable".
Does bærbar only mean "portable"?
In this sentence it acts as an adjective meaning "portable", but Danes very frequently use it as a standalone noun to mean "laptop" (which is short for en bærbar computer). You will often hear people simply say en bærbar (a laptop) or min bærbare (my laptop).
Why is the adjective spelled nye instead of ny here?
Because the sentence uses the definite article Den (The), the adjective must be in its definite form. For most adjectives, including ny, you form this by adding an -e to the end, resulting in Den nye.
How would bærbar change if the noun was a neuter word, like et tv (a TV)?
Adjectives ending in -bar follow standard adjective agreement rules. Since tv is a neuter noun, you must use the neuter article Det and add a -t to the adjective. The sentence would become Det nye tv er bærbart.