demand / inquiry
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demand
In economics, the amount of goods or services that buyers want to purchase at a certain price.
Die Nachfrage nach Elektroautos ist in den letzten Jahren stark gestiegen.
Demand for electric cars has risen sharply in recent years.
The word 'Nachfrage' (demand / inquiry) is made up of the preposition 'nach' (after/for) and the noun 'Frage' (question). It literally describes asking for something, that is, buyers' interest in a product or service.
Die Nachfrage nach neuen Smartphones ist vor Weihnachten besonders hoch.
Demand for new smartphones is especially high before Christmas.
To express what is in demand, you use the preposition 'nach' followed by the dative. So the fixed combination is 'die Nachfrage nach etwas' (the demand for something).
Es gibt eine hohe Nachfrage nach bezahlbarem Wohnraum in der Stadt.
There is high demand for affordable housing in the city.
In an economic context, 'Nachfrage' (demand) is often combined with verbs like 'steigen' (to rise), 'sinken' (to fall), or 'decken' (to meet/cover). Typical adjectives are 'hoch' (high), 'groß' (great), 'gering' (low), or 'steigend' (rising).
Die Produktion konnte die große Nachfrage nicht decken.
Production could not meet the great demand.
The expression 'auf Nachfrage' means that information is given only after a direct question. It is often used in formal or journalistic contexts.
Der Sprecher bestätigte die Gerüchte erst auf Nachfrage der Journalisten.
The spokesperson confirmed the rumors only in response to the journalists' inquiries.
question
'die Frage' and 'die Nachfrage' can both mean that you want to get information. 'die Frage' is the normal, general word for this. 'die Nachfrage' sounds more specific and often somewhat more formal: you ask because you want to know something more precisely or because information is still missing. Learners may confuse the words because a 'Nachfrage' is also a kind of question. In everyday language, people usually say 'Frage'. 'Nachfrage' fits especially when you contact an office, a company, or a person in order to clarify something.
Nach meiner Nachfrage beim Amt habe ich endlich den Termin bekommen.
After my inquiry with the office, I finally got the appointment.
Im Mietvertrag habe ich noch eine Frage zur Kündigungsfrist.
I still have a question about the notice period in the rental contract.