Word
Ile kosztuje znaczek na list do Niemiec?
Meaning
How much is a stamp for a letter to Germany?
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Ile kosztuje znaczek na list do Niemiec?
na
on, at / to (motion toward) / for (a meal) / for (waiting for)
list
letter
kosztować
to cost
ile
how many
Questions & Answers about Ile kosztuje znaczek na list do Niemiec?
Why is znaczek in the nominative case here? Doesn't ile usually require the genitive?
You are right that ile often forces the genitive case when it describes a quantity of a noun, like ile czasu (how much time). However, in this sentence, znaczek is the grammatical subject (the stamp is the thing that costs money), so it stays in the nominative. The word ile just modifies the verb kosztuje.
Why do we use na list instead of dla listu to say 'for a letter'?
When expressing what an object is used for or intended to be placed onto, Polish typically uses na plus the accusative case (here, putting a stamp on a letter). The word dla is mostly used when a person or animal is receiving a benefit, like buying a gift dla brata (for a brother).
What case is Niemiec, and what is its dictionary form?
Niemiec is the genitive form of Niemcy (Germany). The preposition do (to/into) always requires the genitive case. Niemcy is a plural-only noun, and its genitive form is irregular because it drops the vowel ending entirely, leaving just the root Niemiec.
Wait, doesn't Niemiec also mean 'a German man'?