❓🎁

How to Say ‘What do I get for it?’ in German

Was bekomme ich dafür?

vahs beh-KOM-meh ikh dah-FUER

[vahs beh-KOM-meh ikh dah-FUER]

💬 Usage Tip: bekommen means "to get" and never "to become". For "become", German uses werden.

Phrase Breakdown

Was bekomme ich

vahs beh-KOM-meh ikh

What do I get

'bekommen' means 'to get' or 'receive', not 'become'.

Example

Was bekomme ich zum Geburtstag?

What do I get for my birthday?

Words in this phrase

Was

[vahs]

what

Question word used to ask for information about something.

Example

Was machen Sie beruflich?

What do you do professionally?

bekomme

[beh-KOM-meh]

get / receive

First person singular of 'bekommen' (to get, receive).

Example

Ich bekomme ein Geschenk.

I get a present.

ich

[ikh]

The pronoun 'ich' in nominative form.

Example

Ich bin da.

I am here.

dafür?

dah-FUER

for it / in return?

Stress the second syllable: da-FÜR. Round your lips for the 'ü'.

Example

Wie viel zahlst du dafür?

How much do you pay for it?

Words in this phrase

dafür

[dah-FUER]

in return / on the other hand

Introduces a compensating advantage.

Example

Es ist teuer, dafür sehr gut.

It's expensive, but very good in return.

Guides for German learners

Duolingo vs Pimsleur: Tapping on a Screen or Talking Out Loud?Duolingo vs Pimsleur: five minutes of tapping versus thirty minutes of speaking. What each is good at, what each costs, and which to pick for your goal.

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