German Phrase
Was kostet das Porto für diesen internationalen Brief?
Meaning
This phrase is used to inquire about the price of postage for a letter that needs to be sent abroad. It directly asks for the cost of "Porto" (postage) for an "internationalen Brief" (international letter). It's a practical question for anyone sending mail from Germany to another country.
When to use
You would use this phrase at a post office counter, a shipping service, or when speaking to a postal worker. It's appropriate when you have a letter ready to send and need to know the exact cost for international delivery.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Waskostetdas PortofürdieseninternationalenBrief
Was kostet...?
This is the standard way to ask 'How much does... cost?' in German. 'Was' acts as the interrogative pronoun, and the conjugated verb 'kostet' follows immediately.
das Porto
'Porto' is a neuter noun, hence 'das'. It specifically refers to the cost of sending mail or postage.
für
The preposition 'für' means 'for' and always requires the noun or pronoun that follows it to be in the accusative case.
diesen internationalen Brief
'Brief' (letter) is a masculine noun. Because 'für' requires the accusative case, the demonstrative pronoun 'dieser' becomes 'diesen', and the adjective 'international' takes the masculine accusative ending '-en'.
🗨In Conversation
Guten Tag. Was kostet das Porto für diesen internationalen Brief?
Good day. How much does the postage for this international letter cost?
Einen Moment bitte. Wohin soll der Brief gehen?
One moment please. Where should the letter go?
✕Common Mistakes
Was das Porto kostet?
Incorrect word order for a direct question. The conjugated verb ('kostet') should be in the second position.
Was kostet das Porto auf diesen internationalen Brief?
The preposition 'für' (for) is used when asking about the cost of something, not 'auf' (on/upon).
Was kostet das Porto für dieser internationale Brief?
After 'für' (which takes accusative), 'dieser' (this) should be 'diesen' and 'internationale' should be 'internationalen' for a masculine noun like 'Brief'.
↔Alternatives
Wie viel kostet das Porto?
How much does the postage cost?
Was kostet es, diesen Brief international zu versenden?
How much does it cost to send this letter internationally?
Kann ich bitte wissen, wie viel das Porto für diesen Auslandsbrief ist?
Can I please know how much the postage for this foreign letter is?
Cultural Tip
In Germany, postal services (Deutsche Post) are generally efficient. When asking this at a post office, it's common to be direct and polite. Be prepared for potential follow-up questions about the letter's weight or destination country, as these factors influence the postage cost. Germans appreciate clear and concise communication, especially in transactional situations.