Word
Brauchen Sie diese Größe?
Meaning
Do you need this size?
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Brauchen Sie diese Größe?
Sie
you (formal)
brauchen
to need
dieser
this / that (fem.: diese, neut.: dieses)
die Größe
the size
Questions & Answers about Brauchen Sie diese Größe?
Why is it diese and not dieser or dieses?
Größe (size) is a feminine noun (die Größe). In this sentence, it is the direct object (the thing you need), which means it is in the accusative case. The word for 'this' before a feminine noun in the accusative case takes an -e ending, making it diese.
How would I ask this if I wanted to say 'Do you need THAT size?'
While diese technically means 'this', German speakers frequently use it for 'that' as well. If you really want to point to a specific size further away, you can use the definite article die (the) as a demonstrative pronoun: Brauchen Sie die Größe?
Why does the sentence start with the verb Brauchen?
To ask a yes/no question in German, you simply move the verb to the very first position. A normal statement would be Sie brauchen diese Größe (You need this size). By swapping the verb and the subject, it becomes a question.
Why is Sie capitalized in the middle of the sentence?
Capitalized Sie is the formal word for 'you'. You would use this when speaking to a customer, a shop assistant, or a stranger. If you were asking a friend or family member, you would use the informal du: Brauchst du diese Größe?