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Questions & Answers about Die Fans warten auf den Sänger.
Why is it warten auf instead of warten für? Doesn't für mean "for"?
You are right that für usually means "for", but in German, many verbs are paired with specific prepositions that you just have to memorize. The verb warten (to wait) is always paired with auf. A good way to remember it is to think of the old-fashioned English phrase "waiting on" someone.
auf is a two-way preposition. Why does it take the accusative (den Sänger) here instead of the dative (dem Sänger)?
When a two-way preposition is used as a fixed partner for a verb (like warten auf), it almost always takes the accusative case. It is no longer describing a physical location or position (where the dative would be used), but rather the target of the action.
How can I tell that Sänger is a masculine noun?
The word Sänger ends in -er, which is a very common ending for masculine nouns that describe professions or people who do an action. Because it is the target of the preposition auf, the masculine article der changes to the accusative den.
Is Fans just an English word used in German?
Yes, der Fan is an English loanword. In German, loanwords from English usually keep their English plural -s ending, which is why the plural is die Fans.