Die Kommode ist alt, aber sehr praktisch.

Die is the definite article, meaning the.

Here it tells you that Kommode is:

• feminine
• singular
• in the nominative case, because it is the subject of the sentence

So die Kommode = the chest of drawers / the dresser.

In German, all nouns are capitalized.

So:

• die Kommode
• das Haus
• der Tisch

This is completely normal in German and is something English speakers need to get used to.

Not usually. German Kommode normally means a piece of furniture such as:

• dresser
• chest of drawers

English commode can mean something different, especially in modern usage, so this is a word where you should be a little careful.

Because die Kommode is singular.

The verb sein changes depending on the subject:

• ich bin
• du bist
• er/sie/es ist
• wir sind
• ihr seid
• sie/Sie sind

Since die Kommode = it / she grammatically, you use ist.

Because here they come after the verb ist. In this position, they are predicate adjectives, and predicate adjectives in German do not take adjective endings.

So:

• Die Kommode ist alt.
• Die Kommode ist praktisch.

But before the noun, adjectives do take endings:

• die alte Kommode
• eine praktische Kommode

That is a very important difference in German.

Aber means but.

It connects two ideas:

• Die Kommode ist alt
• aber sehr praktisch

So the sentence means that the dresser is old, but despite that, it is very practical.

No. Aber is a coordinating conjunction, so it does not send the verb to the end.

Compare:

• Die Kommode ist alt, aber sehr praktisch.
• Die Kommode ist alt, aber sie ist sehr praktisch.

The normal main-clause word order stays the same.

This is different from conjunctions like weil or dass, which do push the verb to the end.

Because aber is joining two coordinated parts, and in sentences like this German normally uses a comma before aber.

So:

• Die Kommode ist alt, aber sehr praktisch.

That comma is standard and expected.

Sehr means very and intensifies the adjective praktisch.

So:

• praktisch = practical
• sehr praktisch = very practical

It works a lot like English very before an adjective.

Because sehr modifies the adjective praktisch.

German places intensifiers like sehr directly before the adjective or adverb they describe:

• sehr alt = very old
• sehr praktisch = very practical
• sehr gut = very good

So the placement is normal and straightforward.

Yes. That would also be grammatically correct.

You can choose which adjective to intensify:

• Die Kommode ist alt, aber sehr praktisch.
  = the emphasis is on how practical it is

• Die Kommode ist sehr alt, aber praktisch.
  = the emphasis is on how old it is

• Die Kommode ist sehr alt, aber sehr praktisch.
  = both are emphasized

Yes, but the meaning changes.

• Die Kommode ist alt und sehr praktisch.
  = The dresser is old and very practical.

• Die Kommode ist alt, aber sehr praktisch.
  = The dresser is old, but very practical.

Aber suggests a contrast: being old might sound negative, but it is still very practical.

By itself, alt usually just means old.

Whether it sounds positive, neutral, or negative depends on context:

• neutral: an old dresser
• positive: an old, charming piece of furniture
• negative: old and worn out

If you specifically want to say antique, German often uses words like antik or a fuller description depending on context.

A simple pronunciation guide is:

dee ko-MOH-duh ist alt, AH-ber zair PRAK-tish

A few notes:

• Kommode is stressed on the second syllable
• aber has stress on the first syllable
• praktisch is stressed on the first syllable
• r in German is different from English r
• w in German sounds like English v, but there is no w in this sentence

Then the adjective must take an ending.

Compare:

• Die Kommode ist alt.
  predicate adjective, no ending

• die alte Kommode
  adjective before the noun, so it takes -e

And:

• Die Kommode ist praktisch.
• die praktische Kommode

This is one of the most important adjective patterns in German.

Yes, you can think of the second part as slightly shortened.

Fuller version:

• Die Kommode ist alt, aber sie ist sehr praktisch.

German often leaves out repeated material when it is obvious, just as English does:

• The dresser is old, but very practical.

So the shorter German sentence sounds natural and efficient.