Breakdown of Ist diese Jacke noch tragbar?
sein
to be
die Jacke
the jacket
dieser
this / that (fem.: diese, neut.: dieses)
noch
still / yet
Questions & Answers about Ist diese Jacke noch tragbar?
How is the word tragbar formed, and what exactly does the -bar ending do?
tragbar comes from the verb stem of tragen (to wear or carry) plus the suffix -bar. Adding -bar to a verb creates an adjective meaning that something can have that action done to it. Just like the English suffix '-able', it expresses a passive possibility, turning 'wear' into 'wearable'.
Could tragbar also mean 'portable' since tragen means 'to carry'?
Yes! Because the verb tragen translates to both 'to wear' (clothing) and 'to carry' (objects), the adjective tragbar can mean either 'wearable' or 'portable'. You have to rely on context to know which one makes sense. Since we are talking about diese Jacke (this jacket), 'wearable' is the natural fit here.
Why doesn't tragbar have an adjective ending here, like tragbare?
Because tragbar is used as a predicate adjective in this sentence, meaning it comes after the verb ist to describe the subject rather than sitting directly in front of the noun. In German, adjectives never take endings when they are separated from the noun by a verb. If you wanted to say 'the wearable jacket', you would add the ending: die tragbare Jacke.
How does noch change the feeling of this question?