What does it mean if you can barely swallow?

Answer 1

It would depend on why swallowing is difficult. Is there an obstruction? Is throat pain making it difficult? It helps when more complete information is included in the question. Because you have not provided information with which to work, you are going to get general answers. Difficulty swallowing is called dysphagia, and dysphagia can be due to obstructions,such as tonsillar hypertrophy or excessive mucus. Dysphagia can also be due to severe throat pain, which is called pharyngitis. I should add that dysphagia can be neurologic in origin, for example, when there has been a CVA or a cerivcal injury with spinal cord involvement.

As for "what does it mean", that should be obvious. It means one would have trouble eating and drinking. Or perhaps this is just a poorly worded question that should be asking about causes instead of meaning.