Breakdown of Ich erkundige mich nach den Preisen.
ich
I
der Preis
the price
sich erkundigen nach
to enquire about
Questions & Answers about Ich erkundige mich nach den Preisen.
Why use sich erkundigen here instead of simply fragen?
While fragen just means to ask, the reflexive verb sich erkundigen is slightly more formal and specifically means to gather information or to inquire. It is often used in business, customer service, or official contexts where you are seeking detailed facts rather than just asking a quick question.
Why is the preposition nach used here for about? Wouldn't über make more sense?
In English you inquire about something, but in German, certain verbs are locked to specific prepositions. To inquire about something is always sich erkundigen nach. While über often translates to about, nach is frequently used when asking for specific directions, states, or facts, such as asking after someone's health or seeking a price.
Why does Preisen have an extra -n at the end?
The preposition nach always requires the dative case. Since we are talking about multiple prices, the plural noun die Preise becomes the dative plural den Preisen. A key rule to remember, which still trips up learners at this level, is that in the dative plural, German nouns almost always add an extra -n at the end if they do not already end in -n or -s.
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