Breakdown of Ich frage nach dem Preis.
dem
the; (masculine or neuter, dative)
ich
I
der Preis
the price
fragen nach
to ask for
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”?