Breakdown of Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren, ich schreibe über die Rechnung.
ich
I
schreiben
to write
die Rechnung
the bill
über
about (a topic)
Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren
Dear Sir or Madam (formal letter opening)
Questions & Answers about Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren, ich schreibe über die Rechnung.
Why is "ich" not capitalized after the comma in the greeting?
In English letters, we capitalize the first word after the greeting. In German, the comma connects the greeting directly to the first sentence. Because of this, the first word of your letter (ich) must start with a lowercase letter, unless it is a noun.
What exactly does "Sehr geehrte" mean?
It literally translates to "Very honored". The word geehrte comes from the verb ehren (to honor). This phrase is the standard, formal way to say "Dear" in business letters or formal emails in German.
Why does "geehrte" end in "-e" here?
It is acting as an adjective describing the plural phrase Damen und Herren (ladies and gentlemen). Because it is plural and there is no article like "die" or "meine" in front of it, it takes the strong adjective ending -e.
Does the preposition "über" always mean "about"?
Not always! The word über usually means "over" or "above" when talking about location. But when used with verbs of communication or thinking, like schreiben (to write) or sprechen (to speak), it translates to "about".
Which case does "über" trigger in this sentence?
When über means "about", it always forces the following noun into the accusative case. Since Rechnung (bill or invoice) is a feminine noun, its article remains die in the accusative.
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