Breakdown of Ich weise die Preisgarantie schriftlich nach.
Questions & Answers about Ich weise die Preisgarantie schriftlich nach.
Why is nach at the end of the sentence?
Because the verb is nachweisen, which is a separable verb.
In a normal main clause, separable verbs split into:
- the conjugated stem in second position: weise
- the prefix at the end: nach
So:
- ich weise ... nach
This is very common in German:
- Ich rufe dich an.
- Er kauft ein.
- Wir weisen es nach.
But in an infinitive or with a modal verb, it stays together:
- Ich will die Preisgarantie schriftlich nachweisen.
- Es ist wichtig, die Preisgarantie nachzuweisen.
Why is it weise and not nachweise here?
For the same reason: nachweisen is separable in this sentence.
The full infinitive is nachweisen.
When you conjugate it in a main clause, you split it:
- ich weise ... nach
- du weist ... nach
- er/sie weist ... nach
So weise is just the conjugated verb form for ich.
Compare:
- infinitive: nachweisen
- main clause: Ich weise es nach.
Why is it die Preisgarantie? What case is that?
It is accusative, because it is the direct object of the verb nachweisen.
The sentence structure is basically:
- Ich = subject
- weise ... nach = verb
- die Preisgarantie = thing being demonstrated/proven/documented
Since Preisgarantie is a feminine noun, the feminine nominative and accusative article are both die. So the form does not change here:
- nominative: die Preisgarantie
- accusative: die Preisgarantie
That is why you do not see a visible article change.
What exactly is Preisgarantie grammatically?
It is a compound noun, which is extremely common in German.
It is made from:
- Preis = price
- Garantie = guarantee
Together: Preisgarantie
The grammatical gender comes from the last part of the compound, which is Garantie, and Garantie is feminine. So:
- die Garantie
- die Preisgarantie
This rule helps with many German compounds.
What is schriftlich doing in the sentence?
Here, schriftlich functions as an adverb, meaning something like in writing or in written form.
It describes how the proof/documentation is provided:
- Ich weise die Preisgarantie schriftlich nach.
= I provide written proof / I document it in writing.
Even though schriftlich can also be an adjective in other contexts, here it is not modifying a noun directly. It is modifying the action.
Compare:
- ein schriftlicher Nachweis = a written proof/documentation
- Ich weise es schriftlich nach. = I prove/document it in writing
Could the word order be different?
Yes, German word order is somewhat flexible, but the key rule stays the same: in a main clause, the conjugated verb is in second position, and the separable prefix nach stays at the end.
Possible variations include:
- Ich weise die Preisgarantie schriftlich nach.
- Ich weise schriftlich die Preisgarantie nach.
- Die Preisgarantie weise ich schriftlich nach.
- Schriftlich weise ich die Preisgarantie nach.
These all sound slightly different in emphasis.
The version you were given is very natural because it keeps:
- the object together: die Preisgarantie
- the manner adverb after it: schriftlich
Is this sentence in the present tense?
Yes. Ich weise ... nach is present tense.
In German, present tense can be used for:
- something happening now
- a general statement
- sometimes even a future action if the context is clear
So this form is grammatically present tense, just as in:
- Ich mache das.
- Ich erkläre es.
- Ich weise es nach.
If you wanted the perfect tense, it would be:
- Ich habe die Preisgarantie schriftlich nachgewiesen.
What is the past participle of nachweisen?
The past participle is nachgewiesen.
Because nachweisen is a separable verb, the participle usually has:
- prefix + ge
- verb stem pattern
So:
- nachweisen → nachgewiesen
Examples:
- Ich habe es nachgewiesen.
- Die Preisgarantie wurde schriftlich nachgewiesen.
This is a useful pattern to learn for many separable verbs.
How is nachweisen different from beweisen?
They are related, but not always identical.
- beweisen usually means to prove
- nachweisen often means to prove by evidence, demonstrate, document, verify
In many contexts, nachweisen sounds more like showing evidence or documentation, while beweisen can sound broader or stronger.
For example:
- Er bewies seine Unschuld. = He proved his innocence.
- Sie wies ihre Identität nach. = She proved/verified her identity with evidence.
- Man muss die Zahlung nachweisen. = You have to provide proof of payment.
So in your sentence, nachweisen fits well because it suggests documented or written proof.
Can schriftlich go before the noun, like an adjective?
Not in this exact structure.
In your sentence, schriftlich is an adverb modifying the verb phrase. If you want it to modify a noun directly, it has to be inflected like an adjective:
- ein schriftlicher Nachweis
- die schriftliche Bestätigung
- eine schriftliche Preisgarantie
So compare:
Ich weise die Preisgarantie schriftlich nach.
Here schriftlich describes the action.Ich habe einen schriftlichen Nachweis.
Here schriftlichen describes the noun Nachweis.
Is this a natural everyday sentence?
It is grammatical and understandable, but it sounds somewhat formal or business-like.
That is because:
- Preisgarantie is a formal compound noun
- nachweisen is a formal verb often used in official, legal, technical, or customer-service contexts
- schriftlich also adds a formal tone
So this sounds like something you might see in:
- customer service
- contracts
- business communication
- official correspondence
In casual speech, people might choose simpler wording depending on the context.
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