German · Everyday Verbs
"to wear" in German: tragen
tragen
Note: also: anhaben
To wear in German is tragen. Say Ich trage eine Jacke, Du trägst heute Blau, and Das Hemd wurde oft getragen. Anhaben is a common alternative.
Outfit
Ich trage heute mein neues Hemd.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce tragen
Say it
TRAH-gen
/ˈtraːɡn̩/
TRAH-gen. Long a; soft -en.
"to wear" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| tragen | to wear / to carry Clothes and carrying objects. | Clothes and carrying objects. |
| ich trage / du trägst / er trägt | I/you/he wear(s) Present with ä. | Present with ä. |
| getragen | worn / carried Past participle. | Past participle. |
| anhaben | to have on Alternative for clothing. | Alternative for clothing. |
How to use tragen in real life
- 1Outfit
Ich trage heute mein neues Hemd.
I'm wearing my new shirt today.
Ich trage.
- 2Compliment
Du trägst die Farbe richtig gut.
You wear that color really well.
Trägst.
- 3Laundry
Die Jeans wurde schon oft getragen.
The jeans have already been worn often.
Getragen.
Mistakes English speakers make with tragen
Incorrect: Ich trage an eine Jacke.
Correct: Ich trage eine Jacke. / Ich habe eine Jacke an.
Don't mix tragen with a stranded an; use tragen + object or anhaben.
Incorrect: Du tragst den Hut.
Correct: Du trägst den Hut.
Du form has ä: trägst.
Good to know
Tragen also means to carry: Ich trage die Tasche. For clothes, anhaben is equally everyday in speech.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Getting dressed for dinner
ChatPal
Was trägst du heute Abend?
What are you wearing tonight?
You
Ich trage das schwarze Hemd.
I'm wearing the black shirt.
ChatPal
Gut. Ich trage etwas Formelles.
Good. I'm wearing something formal.
You
Passt. Das Restaurant ist schick.
Works. The restaurant is fancy.
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 wear" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to wear" in German
Conjugation?
Ich trage, du trägst, er trägt…
Past participle?
Getragen.
Anhaben?
Common alternative for clothes.
Also carry?
Yes — tragen covers both.
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- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
