Learn Hardcore German: Kannst du mir die Tickets bitte ausdrucken? - Can you print the tickets for me, please?

In yes/no questions, German puts the conjugated verb in first position (V1). The verb‑second (V2) rule is for statements and many wh‑questions. Compare:

Statement: Du kannst mir die Tickets ausdrucken.
Yes/no question: Kannst du mir die Tickets ausdrucken?

Why is it kannst and not kann or könnst?

It’s the second‑person singular of können:

ich kann
du kannst
er/sie/es kann
wir können
ihr könnt
sie/Sie können

There is no form könnst in standard German.

Why does ausdrucken appear at the very end?

With modal verbs like können, the main verb stays in the bare infinitive and goes to the end: [modal] + [subject] + [objects/adjuncts] + [infinitive]. Hence: Kannst (modal) du (subject) mir die Tickets bitte (objects/“please”) ausdrucken (infinitive).

Is ausdrucken a separable verb? How does that affect other forms?

Yes, ausdrucken is separable (prefix aus-). Effects:

Present without modal: Du druckst die Tickets aus.
Perfect: Ich habe die Tickets ausgedruckt.
With a modal: Ich muss die Tickets ausdrucken. (prefix not split because the main verb is an infinitive at the end)
Past with modal: Ich habe die Tickets ausdrucken können. (double infinitive)

What’s the difference between drucken and ausdrucken?

drucken = to print (general printing activity).
ausdrucken = to print out (produce a hard copy from a file/email). In everyday digital contexts, ausdrucken is the default. Related verbs: aufdrucken (print onto a surface), bedrucken (print on something, e.g., fabric).

Why is it mir (dative) and not mich (accusative)?

Die Tickets are the direct object (accusative). Mir is a benefactive dative (“for me”), which is very common in German to mark who benefits from the action. So the structure is: [subject] prints [accusative thing] [for-dative person].

Can I say für mich instead of mir?

Yes: Kannst du die Tickets für mich ausdrucken? Both are correct. Nuance:

mir (dative) is the more idiomatic, lighter way to express the beneficiary.
für mich is more explicit/emphatic (“for me specifically”) and can be used for contrast.

Where can I put bitte?

Common, natural options:

Kannst du mir bitte die Tickets ausdrucken?
Kannst du mir die Tickets bitte ausdrucken?
Bitte, kannst du mir die Tickets ausdrucken?
Imperative: Bitte druck mir die Tickets aus. / Druck mir die Tickets bitte aus. Less idiomatic: Kannst du bitte mir die Tickets ausdrucken? (most speakers prefer mir before or after the whole bitte chunk, as above).

Is die Tickets nominative or accusative here?

Accusative plural (direct object). In the plural, the article die looks the same in nominative and accusative, so you only know by the role in the sentence.

Is the loanword Tickets good German, or should I use something else?

Tickets is very common and perfectly fine. Alternatives depend on context:

Events: (Eintritts)karten
Public transport: Fahrkarten, also Tickets is widely used Use what fits your context and region; Tickets won’t raise eyebrows.

How would I make it formal?

Use Sie and (optionally) the conditional for extra politeness:

Können Sie mir die Tickets bitte ausdrucken?
Even softer: Könnten Sie mir die Tickets bitte ausdrucken?

What about addressing more than one person informally?

Use ihr:

Könnt ihr mir die Tickets bitte ausdrucken?

Can I use the imperative instead of a question?

Yes, but it’s more direct:

Druck mir die Tickets bitte aus. The du‑imperative is druck(e) (without or with the optional final ‑e). Don’t say drück (that’s from drücken = to press).

Why is mir placed before die Tickets?

German tends to put a pronoun object before a full noun object. Since mir is a pronoun and die Tickets is a noun phrase, we prefer mir die Tickets. If both are pronouns, the usual order is accusative before dative:

Noun + pronoun: Gib mir die Tickets.
Both pronouns: Gib sie mir.

How do I negate this?

“Can’t you print the tickets for me?”: Kannst du mir die Tickets nicht ausdrucken? (neutral question)
“Please don’t print them for me”: Kannst du mir die Tickets bitte nicht ausdrucken? Positioning nicht before the final verb is standard in such modal constructions.

What’s the difference in tone between Kannst du …?, Könntest du …?, and Würdest du …?

Kannst du …? neutral, informal request.
Könntest du …? softer/more polite (conditional).
Würdest du …? also soft/polite; sometimes even gentler than könntest depending on intonation.

Can I replace die Tickets with a pronoun?

Yes:

Kannst du sie mir bitte ausdrucken? (sie = the tickets)
If the referent is clear: Kannst du mir die bitte ausdrucken? (die as a demonstrative pronoun)
Some/any: Kannst du mir welche ausdrucken?

How do I avoid confusing drucken (print) with drücken (press) in pronunciation?

drucken has short u (like the vowel in English “put”): DUH‑kn.
drücken has ü (rounded front vowel; like French u): DRÜ‑kn. Spelling matters: u vs ü. Don’t write or say drücken when you mean “print.”

Could Kannst du … be taken as asking about ability rather than making a request?

In everyday German, Kannst du …? is a normal, polite request, not a test of ability. Context and intonation make it clear you’re asking for a favor (just like English “Can you…?”).

Any spelling or capitalization pitfalls?

ausdrucken is one word in the infinitive; in split forms: druckst … aus, druck … aus (two tokens).
Don’t confuse drucken (print) with drücken (press).
du is lowercase in general; capital Du is optional in personal letters/messages for politeness.
Nouns like Tickets are capitalized; pronouns like mir are not.