Trächtiges

Trächtiges is the neuter singular inflected form of the German adjective trächtig, meaning pregnant. It describes a state of pregnancy, most commonly in animals or livestock, though the term can appear in veterinary or historical contexts for humans as well. In everyday language, schwanger is more common for humans.

In German grammar, trächtig is declined like other adjectives. The form trächtiges appears when the noun is neuter singular and there is no definite article or when the strong or mixed inflection applies, as in bare noun usage or after an indefinite article: ein trächtiges Tier (a pregnant animal) or trächtiges Tier (a pregnant animal, without an article). With a definite article, the neuter singular form is trächtige: das trächtige Tier. The predicative position after a linking verb uses the base form: Das Tier ist trächtig.

The term is closely linked to Trächtigkeit, the noun for pregnancy or gestation. Trächtigkeit is commonly used in veterinary and breeding literature to refer to the period from conception to birth (gestation). Gestation lengths vary by species; in cattle they average about 280 to 290 days, while in dogs or cats the durations differ significantly. The adjective trächtig and the noun Trächtigkeit derive from the German verb tragen, “to carry,” reflecting the idea of carrying offspring.

Usage notes: trächtiges is predominantly a formal or technical term and is most frequently encountered in veterinary, agricultural, or scientific writing. In non-technical German, phrases like "eine trächtige Kuh" or "eine trächtige Frau" may appear, but the latter is rare and context-specific.