die Abfrage, -n
query
Definition & meaning
Abfrage is a feminine German noun: die Abfrage. Its meaning depends on context:
-
Query or request for information
It refers to the act of asking for or retrieving specific information. In computing, it commonly means a database query: a request sent to a database to find, filter, or display data. -
Questioning or testing someone’s knowledge
It can describe an oral or written check of what someone knows, especially in school. For example, a teacher may conduct a short vocabulary or grammar test. -
Polling or querying a system
In technical contexts, it can mean requesting information from a device, server, or program, such as checking its status or asking it to return data.
Depending on context, it may be translated as “query,” “request,” “questioning,” “quiz,” or “retrieval.”
Grammar & Word origin
- Gender: feminine
- Article: die
- Plural: die Abfragen
- Pronunciation: approximately AHP-frah-guh
The word consists of:
- ab- — a separable prefix suggesting removal, retrieval, or obtaining something
- fragen — “to ask”
It comes from the verb abfragen , meaning “to query,” “to ask someone something,” or “to test someone’s knowledge.” In a separable construction, the prefix is separated:
- Ich frage die Daten ab. — “I query the data.”
- Der Lehrer fragt die Vokabeln ab. — “The teacher tests the vocabulary.”
The related noun die Frage means “question.”
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms
- die Anfrage — an inquiry or request for information; it is broader and often more polite or formal than Abfrage, while Abfrage emphasizes extracting or checking information.
- die Befragung — questioning or interviewing, often involving several questions and sometimes a group of people.
- die Abfrageanweisung — a query instruction, especially in a technical or database context.
- die Prüfung — an examination or formal assessment; Abfrage can be a short, informal knowledge check, whereas Prüfung is usually more comprehensive or official.
- die Abholung — retrieval or collection; this can overlap with the technical sense of obtaining data, but it is not normally used for asking questions.
Antonyms
There is no single exact antonym. Depending on the meaning, possible contrasts include:
- die Antwort — an answer or response to an Abfrage.
- die Eingabe — input entered into a system, contrasting with an Abfrage, which requests information from the system.
- die Ausgabe — output produced by a system; an Abfrage is the request, while the Ausgabe is the resulting information.
Common phrases & collocations
- eine Abfrage starten — to start a query
- eine Datenbankabfrage durchführen — to perform a database query
- Daten abfragen — to query or retrieve data
- den Kontostand abfragen — to check or retrieve the account balance
- Vokabeln abfragen — to test someone on vocabulary
- eine mündliche Abfrage — an oral quiz or questioning session
- eine automatische Abfrage — an automatic query or polling request
- eine Abfrage beantworten — to answer a query
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Examples
Die Abfrage ist sehr kurz.noun
The query is very short.
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