Der Akkusativ — The Direct Object Case
German normally uses the accusative case when the noun is the direct object, i.e. the "receiver" of the action in the sentence:
In this sentence, "der Computer" changes to "den Computer" because it's the direct object receiving the action of buying.
In the accusative case, the endings for the modifiers (for example, the definite article, e.g. der, or the indefinite article, e.g. ein) change when used for masculine nouns:
For nouns in the feminine, the neuter, and the plural, the endings are the same as in the nominative case. Only masculine changes!
Here is an overview of accusative endings for some of the most common modifiers:
| Modifier | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Definite Articles | den Mann | die Frau | das Kind | die Gäste |
| Indefinite Articles | einen Mann | eine Frau | ein Kind | — Gäste |
| Negative Article | keinen Mann | keine Frau | kein Kind | keine Gäste |
| Possessive | meinen Mann | meine Frau | mein Kind | meine Gäste |
💡 Remember: The endings for all masculine modifiers are -en.
You also use the accusative after certain verbs. In fact, the majority of German verbs which can take a (direct) object take the accusative.
Verbs which take the accusative are also called transitive verbs. In the dictionary, there will be an abbreviation 'vt' after the headword to indicate this. If you find a 'vt' after a verb entry in the dictionary, you know that this verb takes the accusative case.
You also use the accusative case after certain prepositions. The following prepositions always take the accusative:
Remember the acronym: "Bis Durch Für Gegen Ohne Um" or think of it as: "Big Dogs Fight Growling Old Unicorns"
Examples:
Remember that whenever you use one of the prepositions listed above, you must use the accusative case in the noun linked to it.
It is possible for there to be more than one accusative form in a sentence:
The accusative case is mainly used for the direct object in a sentence. But it can also be determined by the verb and certain prepositions.
With feminine, neuter and plural nouns, the endings for the modifier are not changed in the accusative and are exactly the same as the nominative!
You have moved house and still need a lot of things. Make sentences beginning with Ich brauche and use the correct endings in the accusative case.
Examples: die Tasche → Ich brauche eine Tasche. | der Computer → Ich brauche einen Computer. | das Kochbuch → Ich brauche ein Kochbuch.
Fill in the correct endings after prepositions taking the accusative case.
Example: Carla ist für d__ Entscheidung. (f) → Carla ist für die Entscheidung.
Translate the following sentences into German. Remember to use the correct accusative endings!
Test your knowledge! Click the checkbox to reveal the answer.
1. When do you use the accusative case?
2. Do modifier endings have to change for all nouns in the accusative case?
3. How do you find out in the dictionary whether a verb takes the accusative case?
4. Can you name some verbs and prepositions which require the accusative case?
Building on The Nominative Case — You learned that the nominative is used for the subject of a sentence. Now you understand that when that same noun becomes the direct object (receiving the action), it changes to the accusative case (for masculine nouns: der → den, ein → einen).
Prepare for The Dative Case — While the accusative is for direct objects, the dative case is used for indirect objects (the recipient of the direct object). You'll learn prepositions like "mit" and "zu" that always take the dative!