Breakdown of Was für ein Einzelzimmer haben Sie an der Rezeption gebucht?
Sie
you (formal)
haben
to have
an
at, on (vertical) / to (addressee) / of (in quantity/stock expressions)
was für ein
what kind of
buchen
to book
das Einzelzimmer
the single room
die Rezeption
the reception
Questions & Answers about Was für ein Einzelzimmer haben Sie an der Rezeption gebucht?
Why is it was für ein here instead of was für einen or was für eine?
The ending of was für ein- depends on the gender and case of the noun it modifies. The noun here is Einzelzimmer, which is neuter (das Zimmer). Since the room is the direct object being booked, it is in the accusative case. The neuter accusative form of ein is just ein, so it remains was für ein.
Why does the verb haben come after the word Einzelzimmer instead of right after Was?
In a question like this, the conjugated verb must take the second position. The entire block Was für ein Einzelzimmer acts as one single question phrase occupying the first position. Therefore, the helping verb haben has to come directly after that whole phrase.
Why do we say an der Rezeption if Rezeption is a feminine noun?
The preposition an is a two-way preposition. Because the booking happens at a fixed location (answering 'where?') rather than moving to a destination (answering 'to where?'), it requires the dative case. The feminine word die Rezeption changes to der Rezeption in the dative case.
How is the past tense structured in this sentence?
This sentence uses the conversational past tense, called the Perfekt. It wraps around the sentence like a bracket. The helping verb haben goes in the second position (right after the question phrase), and the past participle gebucht (from the infinitive buchen) is pushed to the very end.
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