Prepositions are words that indicate a connection between two parts of a sentence. This can be an indication of time, place or reason.
Ich laufe durch den Park. (I'm walking through the park.)
Prepositions are always followed by the object of a sentence. Prepositions determine the grammatical case of the object. Prepositions could follow object in Accusative or ...... cases
- DeutschGrammar.ModalPrepositions
- DeutschGrammar.Prepositions of time
- Prepositions of direction
- Prepositions of location
Accusative case
Following preositions are always followed by an object in the accusative case.
- bis (until / to)
- durch (through)
- für (for / in favour of)
- gegen (against)
- ohne (without)
- um (at / around)
Dative case
Following preositions are always followed by an object in the dative case.
- aus (out (of) / from)
- bei (at)
- mit (with)
- nach (to / after)
- von (from)
- seit (since)
- zu (to)
- außer (except)
- gegenüber (opposite)
We usually combine the preposition "zu" (to) with the dative articles "dem" (masculine/neutral) or "der" (feminine). The preposition "bei" (at) can also be combined with "dem". This is more natural in spoken German.
- zum = zu dem
- zur = zu der
- beim = bei dem
Both Accusative and Dative cases
- in (in)
- an (on \ at)
- auf (on)
- hinter (behind)
- zwischen (between)
- über (above / across / over)
- unter (under)
To decide whether to use the accusative or the dative case, we have to understand the meaning of the sentence: is it about movement towards a destination or about an action that happens in a specific location?
Movement towards something: accusative case
Specific location: dative case
When masculine or neutral articles follow a preposition, we usually merge the two words into one. It's easier to say and sounds more natural. Feminine articles remain separate.
- in + dem = im
- an + dem = am
- hinter + dem = hinterm
- auf + dem = aufm
- in + das = ins
- an + das = ans
- hinter + das = hinters
- auf + das = aufs
Created: 02 Oct 2022
Last Update: 1 Oct 2024