German · Everyday Verbs
"to carry" in German: tragen
tragen
To carry in German is tragen. Say Ich trage die Tasche or Kannst du das tragen?. The same verb also means to wear clothes, so context matters.
Helping with shopping
Ich trage die schweren Tüten zur Bahn.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce tragen
Say it
TRAH-gen
/ˈtʁaːɡn̩/
TRAH-gen. Long ah; soft g; light -en. Trägst has ä like e in "bed".
"to carry" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| tragen | to carry / to wear Infinitive. | Infinitive. |
| ich trage / du trägst / er trägt | I/you/he carry/ies Present. | Present. |
| getragen | carried / worn Past participle. | Past participle. |
| etwas bei sich tragen | to carry something on you In pockets/bag. | In pockets/bag. |
How to use tragen in real life
- 1Helping with shopping
Ich trage die schweren Tüten zur Bahn.
I'll carry the heavy bags to the train.
Ich trage.
- 2Asking for help
Trägst du kurz den Koffer?
Will you carry the suitcase briefly?
Trägst du.
- 3Moving day
Er trägt den Tisch allein nach oben.
He's carrying the table upstairs alone.
Er trägt.
Mistakes English speakers make with tragen
Incorrect: Ich carriere die Tasche.
Correct: Ich trage die Tasche.
Use tragen, not an English blend.
Incorrect: der Träger (only, for the verb)
Correct: Ich trage / tragen
Träger is a noun; teach the verb tragen.
Good to know
Tragen covers bags and also clothing: Ich trage eine Jacke. For lifting heavy things briefly, people also say heben, but tragen is the ongoing carry.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Getting off a tram with luggage
ChatPal
Soll ich den Rucksack tragen?
Should I carry the backpack?
You
Danke, ich trage ihn noch selbst.
Thanks, I'll still carry it myself.
ChatPal
Okay. Dann trage ich wenigstens die Tüte.
Okay. Then at least I'll carry the bag.
You
Super, gleich sind wir da.
Great, we'll be there soon.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to carry" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to carry" in German
How do you conjugate tragen?
Ich trage, du trägst, er/sie/es trägt, wir tragen.
Does tragen also mean wear?
Yes — clothes and accessories.
Past participle?
Getragen.
How do you say can you carry this?
Kannst du das tragen?
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
