📖 What are Prepositions?
Prepositions are frequently used words such as 'from', 'on', 'with', 'under' which define the relation between different items in a sentence. They can give information about:
- Direction: "I'm from Germany."
- Position: "The book is on the table."
- Time: "She will come at eight o'clock."
The function of prepositions in English and German is very similar. What complicates matters in German is that prepositions usually require a certain case.
🔴 Prepositions + Accusative Case
The following prepositions are always followed by the accusative case:
Examples
💡 Remember
- Masculine nouns use -en ending in accusative: durch den Park, ohne meinen Wecker
- gegen can also refer to time: gegen acht Uhr = around eight o'clock
🟢 Prepositions + Dative Case
The following prepositions are always followed by the dative case:
Examples
💡 Important Usage Notes
- Use aus to say where somebody is from (not "von")
- Use bei for locations and for being with someone
- Use mit for means of transport (not "by")
- Use zu for directions, but nach for towns/countries
- Dative endings: -em (masc/neut), -er (fem)
🔴🟢 Two-Way Prepositions (Wechselpräpositionen)
These prepositions can take either accusative or dative, depending on whether the emphasis is on movement or position:
🔴 Accusative = Movement
Going to a place Action / Direction
🟢 Dative = Position
Being at a place State / Location
Examples
🟣 Prepositions + Genitive Case
These prepositions require the genitive case (more common at advanced levels):
Examples
✂️ Common Contractions (Kurzformen)
Prepositions often combine with definite articles:
📋 Master Summary Table
| Accusative | bis, durch, für, gegen, ohne, um | für den Mann, durch das Haus, um die Welt |
|---|---|---|
| Dative | aus, außer, bei, gegenüber, mit, nach, seit, von, zu | mit dem Auto, nach Hause, zum Bahnhof |
| Acc or Dat | an, auf, hinter, in, neben, über, unter, vor, zwischen | ins Kino (acc) / im Kino (dat) |
| Genitive | trotz, während, wegen, (an)statt | während des Tages, trotz des Wetters |
← From Previous (e23: Future Tense)
← From Previous (e23: Future Tense)
You learned to talk about future events using werden + infinitive. Now you can combine future tense with prepositions: Ich werde nach Berlin fahren.
→ Coming Next (e25: Adjective Endings)
Prepare for adjective endings that change based on case, gender, and article! Prepositions will determine which case to use: ein guter Mann (nom) → für einen guten Mann (acc)