Reference Guide
German Cases Explained
Learn the four German cases with clear rules, examples, and tables. Nominativ, Akkusativ, Dativ, and Genitiv explained for A1–B1 learners.
What are German cases?
German cases show the role a noun plays in a sentence. Unlike English, where word order usually shows role, German uses case endings on articles, adjectives, and sometimes nouns themselves.
There are four cases in German:
- Nominativ — the subject
- Akkusativ — the direct object
- Dativ — the indirect object
- Genitiv — possession
Case overview table
| Nominativ | Wer? Was? | Der Hund läuft. | The dog runs. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akkusativ | Wen? Was? | Ich sehe den Hund. | I see the dog. |
| Dativ | Wem? | Ich gebe dem Hund das Futter. | I give the dog the food. |
| Genitiv | Wessen? | Das Futter des Hundes. | The dog's food. |
Definite articles by case
| Nominativ | der | die | das | die |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akkusativ | den | die | das | die |
| Dativ | dem | der | dem | den + -n |
| Genitiv | des + -es/-s | der | des + -es/-s | der |
How to identify each case
Nominativ — the doer
Use Nominativ for the subject of the sentence. Ask Wer? Was?
Der Lehrer erklärt die Grammatik. (Who explains? The teacher.)
Akkusativ — the target
Use Akkusativ for direct objects and after certain prepositions (durch, für, gegen, ohne, um, bis, entlang).
Ich kaufe den Apfel. (What am I buying? The apple.)
Dativ — the receiver
Use Dativ for indirect objects and after certain prepositions (mit, nach, seit, von, zu, bei, gegenüber, aus, außer).
Sie hilft dem Studenten. (Whom does she help? The student.)
Genitiv — possession
Use Genitiv to show ownership. It is often replaced by von + Dativ in spoken German.
Das Buch des Autors = Das Buch vom Autor
Practice
Apply what you learned in BayZubaan's interactive exercises. Start with the relevant lesson or visit the dashboard.