Breakdown of Bitte sende mir die Bestätigung schriftlich.
mir
me
bitte
please
senden
to send
die Bestätigung
the confirmation
schriftlich
in writing
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Questions & Answers about Bitte sende mir die Bestätigung schriftlich.
Why is mir in the dative case?
In German, mir is the dative form of “ich” (I). You use dative for the indirect object—the person receiving something. Here, you’re asking someone to “send to me” the confirmation, so mir must be dative.
Why is die Bestätigung in the accusative case?
Bestätigung (confirmation) is the direct object of the verb sende. Direct objects take the accusative case, and since Bestätigung is feminine, its accusative article is die.
Why does schriftlich come at the end of the sentence?
Schriftlich is an adverb specifying the manner (“in writing”). In German main clauses, adverbials of manner often go after time and place—frequently near the end. So the default word order places schriftlich last.
Could I say Bitte sende mir schriftlich die Bestätigung instead?
That word order is possible but less common. It feels more natural to place schriftlich after the object: Bitte sende mir die Bestätigung schriftlich. Putting the object right after the verb (Verb–Object–Adverb) is the standard cadence.
What’s the difference between senden and schicken?
Both mean “to send.” Senden is more formal and often used for electronic or postal contexts. Schicken is more colloquial. In a polite request like this, you can use either:
• Bitte sende mir die Bestätigung schriftlich. (formal)
• Bitte schick mir die Bestätigung schriftlich. (slightly less formal)
Can I shorten schriftlich to say something like in Schriftform?
Yes. In Schriftform is a more elaborate phrase meaning “in written form.” It’s slightly more formal:
• Bitte sende mir die Bestätigung in Schriftform.
Both are correct; schriftlich is simpler and very common.
Why does the sentence start with Bitte?
In German, starting with Bitte (“please”) makes the sentence polite. It’s normal to place it at the very beginning, followed by the verb (sende), which is the second element in a main clause.
If I address someone formally, do I need to change anything?
Yes. For the formal “you” (Sie), capitalize the pronoun and adjust the verb:
Bitte senden Sie mir die Bestätigung schriftlich.
Notice senden Sie instead of sende mir.