Ask to reach a train socket in German

The idea

Darf ich …? is the standard way to ask permission. With a direction, German often drops the verb after a modal: “Darf ich an die Steckdose?” means “darf ich an die Steckdose kommen/gehen?”. Because it is movement towards something, an takes the accusative (an die Steckdose). For a fixed position the dative appears: “an der Wand entlang”. Das Kabel is neuter, so the pronoun is es.

Other ways to say it

“Stört es Sie, wenn ich mein Handy hier lade?” – Polite and indirect; asks whether it bothers them.

“Ist die Steckdose noch frei?” – Short neutral question when someone may already be using it.

Examples

• Darf ich kurz an die Steckdose?May I reach the socket briefly?
• Sie ist unter meinem Sitz.It is under my seat.
• Mein Kabel reicht von hier aus.My cable reaches from here.
• Bitte legen Sie es nicht quer in den Gang.Please do not lay it across the aisle.
• Ich führe es direkt an der Wand entlang.I will run it directly along the wall.
• So stört es beim Vorbeigehen nicht.That way it does not obstruct people passing.

Watch out

“Darf ich kurz an der Steckdose?” → “Darf ich kurz an die Steckdose?”: You want to reach the socket, which is a movement towards it, so an takes the accusative die. The dative an der would mean you are already there.

Try it yourself

1. Translate into German: May I reach the socket briefly?

   Show answer or example answer

   Darf ich kurz an die Steckdose?

   “Darf ich” asks permission; the verb of movement is understood, and “an die Steckdose” in the accusative shows the direction.

2. Put the words in order: aus / hier / Kabel / Mein / reicht / von

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   Mein Kabel reicht von hier aus.

   “Mein Kabel” is the subject; reichen means to reach far enough, and “von hier aus” means “starting from here”.

3. Write this sentence in German: That way it does not obstruct people passing.

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   So stört es beim Vorbeigehen nicht.

   “So” introduces the result; stören takes no object here, and “beim Vorbeigehen” is a nominalised infinitive after bei, meaning while people pass.

Use it today

Write a short exchange for a train journey: ask your neighbour about the socket, promise to keep the cable out of the way, and thank them.