Log inSign up

Ich frage nach dem Preis.

Ich frage nach dem Preis.
I ask for the price.
FromLesson 17inHardcore German
……

Questions & Answers about Ich frage nach dem Preis.

What does Ich frage nach dem Preis literally and idiomatically mean?
Literally it says “I ask after the price.” Idiomatically it translates to “I’m inquiring about the price” or “I’m asking for the price.”
Why do we use the preposition nach in this sentence?
The verb fragen when used to inquire about something takes the preposition nach. Together they form fragen nach + Dative, indicating what you are asking about.
Why is dem Preis in the dative case instead of the accusative?
Because the preposition nach always governs the dative case. Since der Preis is masculine singular, its dative form is dem Preis.
Why can’t we say Ich frage den Preis or simply drop nach?
In German, fragen as a transitive verb normally takes a person as its direct object (you fragen jemanden). To ask for information about a thing, you need fragen nach. Saying Ich frage den Preis would be unidiomatic, as den Preis is not a person you can directly ask.
How would I include the person I’m asking, for example “I ask the vendor about the price”?

You’d insert the person in the accusative and keep nach + Dative for the subject matter:
Ich frage den Verkäufer nach dem Preis.
– den Verkäufer is the direct object (Accusative)
– nach dem Preis is the prepositional object (Dative)

Is nachfragen (the separable verb) the same as fragen nach?
Not quite. nachfragen often means “to ask again” or “to check back” (e.g. Ich habe noch einmal nachgefragt.). fragen nach means simply “to inquire about” something, without the implication of repetition.
Can I change the word order and place nach dem Preis at the beginning? If so, what effect does that have?

Yes. You can front the prepositional object for emphasis or a more formal style:
Nach dem Preis frage ich.
This stresses nach dem Preis, whereas Ich frage nach dem Preis is the neutral word order.

Are there common synonyms or more polite ways to say Ich frage nach dem Preis?

Yes. For more formality or variety you might say:
• Ich erkundige mich nach dem Preis. (I’m inquiring about the price.)
• Darf ich nach dem Preis fragen? (May I ask the price?)
• Könnten Sie mir den Preis nennen? (Could you tell me the price?)

More from this lesson

das Museumdie AusstellungIn dem Museum wird heute eine neue Ausstellung gezeigt.das Bildder MalerDie Ausstellung zeigt Bilder eines modernen Malers.jedesgemalt werden
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“How do German cases work?”
German has four grammatical cases: nominative (subject), accusative (direct object), dative (indirect object), and genitive (possession). The case determines the form of articles and adjectives. For example, "the dog" is "der Hund" as a subject but "den Hund" as a direct object.

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning German

Master German — from Ich frage nach dem Preis to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.

  • ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions
Start learning German freeBrowse the full course