⏱️ 2 min practice • 🔥 CEFR A2

tragen

Irregular (Starkes Verb) Level A2 ⭐ #44 Most Common

English translation: to carry / to wear

Stem Pattern: trägt, trug, hat getragen
💡 Key Usage Note: Used for both physically carrying a suitcase and wearing clothes: 'Ich trage eine Jacke'.
📘 Linguistic Rule: Undergoes a -> ä vowel change in 2nd/3rd person singular present (du trägst, er trägt). Preterite is 'trug'.
⚖️ Tragen vs Bringen (Carrying vs Bringing)
View BRINGEN →
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Präsens

Carrying or wearing right now.

Subject Pronoun Conjugation Audio
ich trage
du trägst
er/sie/es trägt
wir tragen
ihr tragt
sie/Sie tragen
💡 Tip: Click any row's audio button to hear native pronunciation
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AI Smart Tutor: 'TRAGEN' Insights

Linguistic breakdowns & native shortcuts

Smart Tips
🧠 Memory Trick (Mnemonic)

Cognate with 'drag' and 'traction'. What you tragen, you carry.

⚠️ Most Common Student Mistake
✗ Don't say: Er tragt einen Mantel
✓ Say instead: Er trägt einen Mantel

Why: Tragen requires an umlaut in the 2nd and 3rd person singular present: er trägt.

🗣️ Essential Native Idioms with 'tragen'
Rechnung tragen

= To take into account (+ Dativ)

"Wir müssen den Umständen Rechnung tragen."

Früchte tragen

= To bear fruit / pay off

"Die Arbeit hat Früchte getragen."

🎴 Flashcard Practice Mode

Flip through pronouns to test active recall for 'tragen'

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Präsens
ich

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Answer
trage

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Frequently Asked Questions: TRAGEN

Is "tragen" a regular or irregular verb in German? ▾

"tragen" is classified as a Irregular (Starkes Verb) verb in German. Its characteristic conjugation pattern is "trägt, trug, hat getragen". Undergoes a -> ä vowel change in 2nd/3rd person singular present (du trägst, er trägt). Preterite is 'trug'. Used for both physically carrying a suitcase and wearing clothes: 'Ich trage eine Jacke'.

What does "tragen" mean in English? ▾

In English, "tragen" translates primarily to "to carry / to wear". In natural speech, it is commonly used across CEFR level A2 contexts for everyday communication.

What is the most frequent mistake learners make with "tragen"? ▾

A frequent error is saying "Er tragt einen Mantel" instead of "Er trägt einen Mantel". Why? Tragen requires an umlaut in the 2nd and 3rd person singular present: er trägt.

What are common idioms or expressions with "tragen"? ▾

A popular idiom is "Rechnung tragen" which means "To take into account (+ Dativ)" (e.g. "Wir müssen den Umständen Rechnung tragen.").

How can I practice and memorize "tragen" conjugations? ▾

Use Verbpedia's built-in interactive flashcards, pronounce each form using native Web Speech audio, and complete the instant mini-quiz below. You can also print a distraction-free A4 cheat sheet using the Print button above.

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Quick Practice: Fill in the Blanks

Test your understanding of 'tragen' across tenses

Interactive Quiz
Question 1 ()

How do you say 'She is wearing glasses' in German?

Other Important German Verbs to Study

sein Irregular

to be

haben Irregular

to have

werden Irregular

to become / will (future auxiliary)

können Irregular

can / to be able to

gehen Irregular

to go / to walk

sehen Strong Verb

to see / look

wissen Irregular (Preterite-Present)

to know (facts/information)

bleiben Strong Verb

to stay / remain

geben Strong Verb

to give / there is (es gibt)

sprechen Strong Verb

to speak / talk

fahren Strong Verb

to drive / ride / travel

helfen Irregular (e -> i / Dativ)

to help (takes dative)

nehmen Irregular (e -> imm)

to take

schreiben Strong Verb (Ablaut Class 1: ei-ie-ie)

to write

laufen Strong Verb (Ablaut au-äu / ie / au)

to run / to walk / to function

bringen Mixed Verb (Gemischtes Verb)

to bring / to take to

trinken Strong Verb (Class 3 Ablaut: i-a-u)

to drink

denken Mixed Verb (Gemischtes Verb)

to think

sollen Modalverb (Modal)

should / ought to / to be supposed to

dürfen Modalverb (Modal)

may / to be allowed to / to have permission

finden Strong Verb (Ablaut i-a-u)

to find / to consider / to think of

wollen Modalverb (Modal)

to want / to intend

kommen Strong Verb (Ablaut o-a-o)

to come / to arrive / to originate from

stehen Strong Verb (Ablaut e-a-a)

to stand / to be situated / to suit

lassen Irregular (Modal-like)

to let / to allow / to leave behind

beginnen Inseparable Strong Verb

to begin / to start

schlafen Strong Verb

to sleep

brauchen Weak Regular Verb

to need / to require

glauben Regular Verb

to believe / to think

sitzen Irregular (Starkes Verb)

to sit / to be seated

fallen Irregular (Starkes Verb)

to fall

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