Die Kleider sind noch nass.

to be

Breakdown of Die Kleider sind noch nass.

• nass: wet
• noch: still
• die Kleider: the clothes

Questions & Answers about Die Kleider sind noch nass.

Why is Kleider used here instead of a singular form?

In German, Kleider is a plural noun meaning clothes (though it can also mean dresses in some contexts). When referring to multiple pieces of clothing as a collective, German frequently uses the plural Kleider instead of a singular form like Kleidung (which is more general and can be uncountable).

What is the role of sind in this sentence?

Sind is the plural form of the verb sein (to be) in the present tense. It matches the plural subject die Kleider. If we had a singular subject, we would use ist (e.g. Das Kleid ist noch nass.).

What does noch mean here?

Noch translates to still in this sentence, indicating that the condition of being wet persists at the present moment.

How would you say The clothes are already dry using a similar structure?

You would say: Die Kleider sind schon trocken. Here schon means already, and trocken means dry.

Can you explain why nass is placed at the end of the sentence?

In German, adjectives often appear at the end when used as a predicate after the linking verb sein (to be). The structure is typically: subject + form of sein + adjective, for example, Die Kleider sind nass.