Prepositions
Prepositions
The accusative case is used for the direct object of the verb, for instance, the noun that has the action of the verb done to it. It is also used automatically after these prepositions:
| bis | until, by |
| durch | through |
| für | for |
| gegen | against |
| ohne | without |
| um | round |
| entlang | along ('entlang' comes after the noun) |
The good thing about the accusative case is that only masculine words change their endings in the accusative.
For example:
der becomes den
ein becomes einen
Ich kaufe ein Geschenk für meinen Vater
Ich kaufe ein Geschenk für meine Mutter
Sie geht durch das Kaufhaus
Er geht die Strasse entlang (note 'entlang' after the noun!)
The dative case is used for the indirect object of a verb (the person or thing to whom you are giving something). Check out Use of Cases if you are unsure. It is also always used after these prepositions:
| aus | out of |
| bei | at the house of, with |
| mit | with |
| nach | after |
| seit | since |
| von | from, by |
| zu | to |
| gegenüber | opposite (sometimes after the noun) |
Some of these have shortened forms:
zu dem (masculine / neutral) = zum
zu der (feminine) = zur
bei dem (masculine / neutral) = beim
von dem (masculine / neutral) = vom
For example:
Nach der Mittagspause hat er Deutsch.
Ich wohne bei meiner Oma.
Peter kommt aus dem Haus.
Sie fährt direkt zur Brücke.
Seit
If you want to say how long you have been doing something, you use seit + the present tense in German. In English, you use the past tense.
For example:
I have been learning for four years = Ich lerne seit vier Jahren Deutsch
Some prepositions take the accusative or the dative case depending on what is happening in the sentence.
The preposition will take the accusative if you are talking about movement.
For example: Sie geht über die Brücke.
The preposition will take the dative if you are talking about where something or someone is.
For example: Die Brücke ist über dem Fluss.
These are the prepositions, which can take accusative or dative case:
| in | into, in |
| an | to, at |
| auf | onto, on |
| hinter | behind |
| neben | next to, beside |
| über | over, above |
| unter | under, beneath |
| vor | in front of |
| zwischen | between |
Have a go at these sentences to see if you have understood this rule. Fill in the gaps in the following sentences by dragging 'die', 'der' or 'das' into the correct spaces. Mark your answer to see how you got on...
The genitive case means 'of'. There are also a few prepositions that always use the genitive.
These are:
| wegen | because of |
| trotz | in spite of |
| während | during (the course of) |
For example: Wegen des Wetters bleibe ich zu Hause.