📚 Introduction
This chapter will give you a very short overview of the basic rules governing the cases in German and will compare them to English. Units 11–14 will explain each case in detail and give examples and exercises.
What are Cases?
Nouns (words such as 'man', 'house', 'dog') play different roles in a sentence or clause. For example, a noun can be the agent of what is happening ("Dog bites man") or it can be in the position where the action of the verb happens to it ("Dog bites man").
In German, these different roles are signalled by the case. The different cases are shown in the endings of articles and adjectives.
How does this compare to English?
In English, the noun also plays these different roles in the sentence. You know that a noun is a subject when it comes before the verb. If it is an object, it comes after the verb.
But normally the case isn't evident, except when you use pronouns: 'he'/'she'/'it' etc.:
The Four Cases in German
There are four different cases in German. Each case can be linked with a particular role, or 'function', in the sentence:
Nominative
The subject of the sentence — the 'agent' of what is happening
"Who is doing the action?"
Accusative
The direct object — the 'receiver' of the action
"Who or what is affected by the action?"
Dative
The indirect object — the secondary recipient
"To whom/what is the action done?"
Genitive
Shows possession/relationship between two nouns
"Whose is it?" / "belongs to"
Why are Cases Important?
The cases dictate the endings of:
- Definite articles ('the' – der, die, das)
- Indefinite articles ('a' – ein, eine, ein)
- Other words linked with nouns (adjectives, etc.)
Here is a quick overview of how the four cases affect the articles:
Indefinite Article (ein/eine)
| Nominative | Accusative | Dative | Genitive | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine | ein | einen | einem | eines |
| Feminine | eine | eine | einer | einer |
| Neuter | ein | ein | einem | eines |
Definite Article (der/die/das)
| Nominative | Accusative | Dative | Genitive | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine | der | den | dem | des |
| Feminine | die | die | der | der |
| Neuter | das | das | dem | des |
Can you spot the changed endings in these examples?
- einen Roman = masculine accusative
- der Frau = feminine dative
- des Mannes = masculine genitive
Factors Which Determine Case
There are three factors which determine case:
- The role the noun plays in the sentence (subject or object)
- The verb used in the sentence
- Any prepositions used in the sentence
1. Verbs
The verb determines which case you use for the object:
- The majority of verbs require the accusative
- Certain verbs always require the dative (e.g., helfen 'to help', gehören 'to belong')
- Very few verbs take the genitive case
In the German, 'the woman' is in the dative case (der Frau) because helfen is a verb after which you must always use the dative.
2. Prepositions
Prepositions in German (words such as 'at', 'on', 'to', 'for') require a certain case:
- Some take the accusative (e.g., durch 'through', für 'for')
- Some take the dative (e.g., mit 'with', von 'from')
- Very few take the genitive
In English, 'for my friend' is the indirect object, but in German für meinen Freund is in the accusative case because für requires the accusative.
📋 Summary of Basic Principles
The use of cases is determined by three principles:
- Whether the noun is the subject or the object of the sentence
- The verb, and
- Any prepositions used
Important: It is particularly important to learn which verbs take the dative, and which prepositions govern which case.
Exercise 10.1: Identify the Subject
10.1Example: Die Frau isst einen Hamburger. → Click on "Die Frau"
Answers:
- Der Mann geht ins Kino.
- Das Kind spielt mit den Autos.
- Nach dem Essen trinken die Leute noch Kaffee.
- Die Katze heißt Kassandra.
- In der Garage steht das Auto.
- Um acht Uhr verlässt die Nachbarin das Haus.
Exercise 10.2: Identify the Objects
10.2Example: Sie gibt dem Mann eine Zigarette. → dem Mann (dative), eine Zigarette (accusative)
Answers:
- Ich schenke der Frau (dative) ein Buch (accusative).
- Er kauft dem Mädchen (dative) ein Eis (accusative).
- Herr Schulz zeigt dem Gast (dative) seinen Garten (accusative).
- Der Kellner bringt dem Mann (dative) das Essen (accusative).
Exercise 10.3: Different Endings
10.3Indefinite Article:
| Accusative | Dative | Genitive | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine | einen | einem | eines |
| Feminine | eine | einer | einer |
| Neuter | ein | einem ✓ | eines |
Definite Article:
| Accusative | Dative | Genitive | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine | den ✓ | dem | des |
| Feminine | die | der | der |
| Neuter | das | dem | des |
✓ Checklist
Test your understanding by answering these questions. Click "Show Answer" to check.
How many principles govern the cases in German?
Three principles govern the cases: (1) the role of the noun (subject/object), (2) the verb, and (3) any prepositions used.
Can you give these principles?
1) Whether the noun is subject or object, 2) The verb used, 3) Any prepositions used in the sentence.
Which case do you use for the subject?
The nominative case is used for the subject of the sentence.
Which case do you normally use for the direct object?
The accusative case is normally used for the direct object.
Which case do you normally use for the indirect object?
The dative case is normally used for the indirect object.
Which words or parts of words change when you use the different cases?
The endings of articles (der/die/das, ein/eine) and adjectives change according to case.
When is an 'indirect' object in the accusative case?
When a preposition requiring the accusative is used (e.g., für 'for', durch 'through').
When is a 'direct' object in the dative case?
When a verb requiring the dative is used (e.g., helfen 'to help', gehören 'to belong').
← From Previous (e9: Plural Nouns)
You learned how German nouns form their plurals with various endings (-e, -en, -er) and umlaut changes. Now we apply that knowledge as we explore how these nouns function in different grammatical roles through the four cases.
→ Coming Next (e11: The Nominative Case)
Get ready for a deep dive into the nominative case — the case used for subjects. You'll learn all the endings in detail and practice identifying subjects in complex sentences.