The suffix -baar productively forms adjectives out of verbs. An exception is vruchtbaarfertile, which has a nominal base, i.e. vruchtfruit (this word reflects the etymology of the affix; the original meaning of -baar was 'bearing'). Another nominal base can be found in zichtbaarvisible, which is a loan from German. A special case is dierbaarprecious, whose base is not an existing word of Dutch.

The meaning of the -baar-adjectives is 'possible to be X-ed' (passive) with transitive and unergative verbs (draagbaarportable < dragento carry, werkbaarworkable < werkento work), and 'able to X' (active) with intransitive verbs (ontvlambaarinflammable < ontvlammenignite, vloeibaarliquid < vloeienflow).

If the semantics allow it, -baar adjectives can appear in the comparative and the superlative: deze kleding is betaalbaarderthese clothes are more affordable.

The bases that the suffix attaches to are mostly Germanic (brandbaarinflammable < brandento burn). Some are non-Germanic (reduceerbaarreducible > reducerento reduce). They can be morphologically simple (aaibaarcuddly < aaiento pet) or complex (aanraakbaartouchable < aanrakento touch, analyseerbaaranalysable < analyserento analyse).

The affix has a functional competitor, -(e)lijk.

Phonologically, -baar is a non-cohering suffix, it behaves as a phonological word of its own. -baar-adjectives are usually stressed on the last syllable before the suffix, which means that polysyllabic bases with initial stress are assigned a new stress pattern (/ˈtoelaten/permit vs. /toeˈlaatbaar/permissible. This regularity holds for all particle verbs, as opposed to prefixed verbs which keep their stress pattern (/weerˈleggen/refute > /weerˈlegbaar/refutable). Exceptions are compounds such as ˈonderverhuurbaarsublettable which retain their stress pattern even after addition of -baar.

Adjectives ending in -baar can be negated by using the prefix on- (onverstaanbaarunintelligible) or they can be nominalized with the suffix -heid (onontkoombaarheidinescapability). Negated forms inherit the particular semantics of their base: drinkbaardrinkable often means 'pleasant to drink' rather than 'possible to drink'; consequently, ondrinkbaarundrinkable usually means 'unpleasant to drink' rather than 'unsafe to drink'. Some -baar adjectives beginning with the negative prefix on- lack a positive form without this prefix (onontkoombaarinescapable - ?ontkoombaarescapable).