sichtbare

Sichtbare is a German adjective meaning visible or capable of being seen. It derives from Sicht, sight, and the suffix -bar, which forms adjectives indicating capability. The word is used to describe objects, features, or phenomena that can be perceived with the eye, as opposed to invisible or hidden.

As an attributive adjective, sichtbare takes endings that depend on gender, number, and case, typically when preceded by a definite article. In the singular, it appears as der sichtbare Mann, die sichtbare Frau, das sichtbare Kind. In the plural with die, the form is die sichtbaren Häuser. With an indefinite article or no article, strong endings produce forms such as ein sichtbarer Fehler or sichtbare Spuren. Predicative use normally uses the base form sichtbar rather than sichtbare, as in Es ist sichtbar.

Das Sichtbare can also function as a noun in philosophical or stylistic contexts, capitalized to denote “the visible” or “the observable realm.” In such use, it refers to what is perceived by the senses and contrasted with the unseen or the abstract. The noun form appears in discussions of perception, ontology, or aesthetics, sometimes paired with das Unsichtbare.

Related terms include Sichtbarkeit (the property or state of being visible) and sichtbar (the base adjective meaning visible). Phrases such as sichtbare Spuren or sichtbar machen (to render visible) are common in general German usage.

Overall, sichtbare operates as a versatile form tied to perception and appearance, with distinct uses in everyday language and in philosophical or literary contexts.