Breakdown of tenin ni nedan wo kiku mae ni, kousikisaito de sirabemasita.
をwo
direct object particle
でde
location particle
にni
time particle
にni
indirect object particle
聞くkiku
to ask
店員tenin
clerk
前mae
before
値段nedan
price
公式サイトkousikisaito
official site
調べるsiraberu
to check
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Questions & Answers about tenin ni nedan wo kiku mae ni, kousikisaito de sirabemasita.
Why is the subordinate clause 店員に値段を聞く前に in the plain (dictionary) form 聞く while the main clause uses the polite past form 調べました?
When you attach a verb directly to nouns like 前に, you always use the dictionary (plain) form of the verb, regardless of whether the main clause is polite or plain. In this case, 聞く前に (“before asking”) stays in plain form even though the speaker chose polite past (調べました) for the main action.
What function does the particle に serve in 店員に?
Here に marks the target (or indirect object) of the action 聞く. In English you “ask someone a question,” and in Japanese you “ask to someone.” So 店員に means “to the clerk.”
What function does the particle を serve in 値段を聞く?
The particle を marks the direct object of the verb 聞く. It tells us what is being asked, namely 値段 (“the price”).
What is the role of 前に in 聞く前に?
前に attached to a verb in dictionary form means “before doing [that verb].” So 値段を聞く前に literally means “before asking the price.”
What does で indicate in 公式サイトで調べました?
The particle で here marks the place or means of the action. 公式サイトで調べました can be understood as “I checked it on (or via) the official website.”
Why is 調べました in the past tense? Could you use present tense here?
The speaker is describing a completed action: they already checked the information. If you said 調べます, it would mean “I will check,” which doesn’t fit the “before asking” context if the checking is already done. You could use present tense only if you’re narrating a habitual action.
Is the comma after 前に necessary? What does it do?
The comma is optional. It simply clarifies the boundary between the subordinate clause (店員に値段を聞く前に) and the main clause (公式サイトで調べました), making the sentence easier to parse.
Can you switch the order of the two clauses, for example put 公式サイトで調べました first?
Grammatically you could say 公式サイトで調べました、店員に値段を聞く前に, but it sounds awkward in Japanese. It’s much more natural to lead with the “before” clause and then state the main action.
What’s the difference between 聞く and 尋ねる when asking a person something?
Both mean “to ask,” but 尋ねる is more formal or literary and often used when asking for directions or more official inquiries. 聞く is the everyday verb for “ask a question” or “listen,” so it fits best in casual or polite conversational contexts like this sentence.