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Questions & Answers about Frag doch jemand anderen.
Why is it Frag and not Frage?
It’s the 2nd person singular imperative of fragen. The imperative can be frag(e)!; the ending -e is optional. In everyday speech you almost always hear Frag doch …, while Frage doch … sounds formal or old-fashioned. Other imperative forms:
- 2nd person plural: Fragt doch …
- Polite Sie-form: Fragen Sie doch …
What does doch add here?
Doch is a modal particle that softens or nudges the command. It can suggest “go on and … / why don’t you …,” often implying the speaker thinks it’s an obvious or reasonable step. Without doch, the imperative can sound sharper.
Why is it jemand anderen and not jemanden anderen?
The verb fragen takes an accusative object, so in careful standard German the pronoun should be in the accusative: jemanden. Many speakers, however, leave jemand undeclined in everyday speech, so Frag doch jemand anderen is very common. In formal writing prefer: Frag doch jemanden anderen.
Why does anderen end in -en?