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la
a.
ab
abseits
abzgl.
abzglich
after
an
angesichts
anhand
anlsslich
anllich
anstatt
anstelle
auf
auf Seiten
auf seiten
auff
aufgrund
aufseiten
aus
au
ausser
auer
auerhalb
bar
bei
betreffend
betreffs
bey
bezglich
binnen
bis
bi
bzgl.
dank
diesseits
dreiviertel
durch
eingedenk
einschlielich
entgegen
entlang
entsprechend
f.
fuer
fr
gegen
gegenber
gemss
gem
gen
hinauf
hinsichtlich
hinter
in
infolge
inklusive
inmitten
inn
inner
innerhalb
je nach
jenseits
kraft
lngs
laut
m.
m/
mangels
mit
mit Hilfe
mithilfe
mitsamt
mittels
nach
nchst
nahe
neben
nebst
ob
oberhalb
ohne
per
pro
sammt
samt
seit
sonder
statt
trotz
ber
um
um willen
ungeachtet
unter
unterhalb
unweit
vermittels
vermge
viertel
Viertel nach
Viertel vor
vis--vis
von
vor
vorbei
whrend
wegen
wg.
wider
zu
zu Gunsten
zufolge
zugunsten
zuzglich
zwecks
zwischen
zzgl.
Prepositions in German
:
Prepositions are words which define the relation between different items. Prepositions give
information
about
direction,
position
and
time
in
a
sentence.
What complicates German is that prepositions usually require a certain case. In German
prepositions can be divided into different groups, prepositions + Accusative case and
prepositions + Dative case.
Note:
There is a group of german preposition which take either the accusative or the dative depending
on whether the emphasis is on movement or position.
You use the accusative form for direction and movement and answers the question where to. The
dative form indicates position and location and answers the question where.
Examples:
English: I put the book on the table.
Preposition: on -> auf (accusative or dative form possible)
Form: accusative form -> put on the table (movement)
German: Ich lege das Buch auf den Tisch
English: The book is on the table.
Preposition: on -> auf (accusative or dative form possible)
Form: dative form -> is on the table (position)
German: Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch
English: He is travelling by car.
Preposition: by -> mit
Form: dative form
German: Er fhrt mit dem Auto
Prepositions are frequently used words, such as 'from', 'on', 'with', that are followed by a noun or
a pronoun to define how people and things relate to each other in a sentence.
The functions of prepositions in English and German are very similar. However, German
prepositions are a bit more complicated than the English ones, due to the fact that they always
require a certain case following them. Thus, whenever you use a preposition, you must be aware
of the case that preposition governs and the changes this may imply.
German prepositions could be divided into groups, according to the case they require.
Meaning
I'm staying until tomorrow
She's looking through the hole
Thank you for the gift
Against whom did they fight?
We arrived around four o'clock
I never travel without my alarm clock
The station is around the corner
It starts at nine o'clock
Note that 'gegen' means 'around' when used to refer to time, while 'um' means 'around' when
used for directions.
Short Form
In some instances, the preposition and the definite article 'das' are joined together.
fr das = frs
um das = ums
Meaning
He comes from Berlin
She is drinking out of the bottle
Nobody knows it except my brother
My uncle is going to live at our house
He is still at the hairdresser's
He lives opposite to us
I play chess with him
After the concert they went home
Since her childhood she has been living in Frankfurt
I have had this illness for one year
The gift is from my sister
I must stay at home
Take note that 'gegenber' never precedes pronouns, it follows them. But it can either precede or
follow a noun.
Also note that 'seit' is only used for expressing time, and in German, it's used with the present
tense, unlike English, which uses 'since' with the perfect tense (tenses will be discussed in detail
in later lessons).
Short Form
In some instances, the preposition and the definite article are joined together.
zu + dem = zum
zu + der = zur
Meaning
He's coming to school in spite of his illness
During our vacation we're going to Spain
We couldn't depart immediately because of
her delay
His aunt came instead of his sister
This ends the first lesson on German prepositions. Make sure to solve this lesson's exercise, and
to clearly memorize the case of each preposition before heading onto the second part of the
lesson.
Lesson 7 - Prepositions II
Preposition + Accusative or Dative Case
Some prepositions in German take either the accusative or the dative case, depending on whether
the emphasis of the sentence is on the position or the location, these prepositions are called 'twoway prepositions'.
The accusative case is used when the sentence expresses change of position or movement toward
a place, while the dative case is used when the sentence expresses position or place within a
fixed location.
Definition
She is hanging the picture on the wall
The picture is hanging on the wall
She lays the knife on the table
The knife lies on the table
He puts the shoe behind the door
The shoes are behind the wall
The children go to school
The children are in school
I place the chair next to the window
The chair is (standing) next to the
neben + dat. Der Stuhl steht neben dem Fenster
window
ber + acc.
Der Junge klettert ber den Zaun
The boy is climbing over the fence
ber + dat.
Der Handtuch hngt ber dem Zaun
The towel is hanging over the fence
unter + acc.
Der Ball rollte unter den Stuhl
The ball rolled under the chair
unter + dat.
Der Ball ist unter dem Stuhl
The ball is under the chair
vor + acc.
Stell den Stuhl vor das Fenster
Put the chair in front of the window
vor + dat.
Ich sitze vor dem Fernseher
I'm sitting infront of the TV
zwischen +
Sie hat den Brief zwischen das Buch und She placed the letter between the book
acc.
die Zeitung gelegt
and the newspaper
Der Brief liegt zwischen dem Buch und The letter is lying between the book and
zwischen + dat.
der Zeitung
the newspaper
In each of the accusative examples shown above, the verb shows movement from one place to
another; thus the accusative case is used.
The dative examples however don't indicate movement, instead they only describe location, they
tell where someone or something is, thus the dative case is used.
Verbs Accompanied by Two-way Prepositions
Some verbs that don't describe motion or position are accompanied by two-way prepositions.
Most of these verbs require the accusative case, since they don't indicate location; however, there
are a few that require the dative case.
Some of the most common verbs are shown in the table below:
Verb
achten auf
sich beklagen ber
denken an
sich erinnern an
erkennen an
sich freuen auf
sich freuen ber
glauben an
hoffen auf
sich irren in
leiden an
reden ber
schreiben an
schreiben ber
schtzen vor
sprechen ber
sterben an
teilnehmen an
sich verlassen auf
sich verlieben in
warnen vor
warten auf
Case Definition
acc. pay attention to
acc. complain about
acc. think about
acc. remind of
dat. recognize by
acc. look forward to
acc. be glad about
acc. believe in
acc. hope for
acc. be wrong about
dat. suffer from
acc. talk about
acc. write to
acc. write about
dat. protect from
acc. speak about
dat. die from
dat. take part in
acc. rely on
acc. fall in love with
dat. warn against
acc. wait for
Short Form
In some instances, the preposition and the definite article are joined together.
an + das = ans
an + dem = am
in + das = ins
in + dem = im
German
Prepositions
Page:
1. 1
2. 2
3. 3
4. 4
5. 5
1. Next
Prepositions show the relationship between different parts of the sentence.
Prepositions
The relationships prepositions show can be physical:
Prepositions are sometimes known as trigger words. This is because whenever you use a
preposition it 'triggers' a change in the item immediately afterwards.
Prepositions
Page:
1. 1
2. 2
3. 3
4. 4
5. 5
1. Back
2. Next
Accusative prepositions
The following prepositions 'trigger' the accusative:
Prepositions or 'triggers'
Preposition
Translation
fr
For
um
Around/for/at (time)
durch
Through
gegen
Against
entlang
Along
bis
Until
ohne
Without
wider
Against
To help you remember them, notice that when you spell out the first letter of each word in the
table above it reads 'fudge bow'.
Examples
Arsenel spielt gegen eine europische Mannschaft -> Arsenal is playing against a
European team.
Wir sind durch den alten Markt gelaufen -> We walked through the market.
Ich interessiere mich fr moderne Technologie -> I'm interested in modern technology.
Dative prepositions
The following prepositions 'trigger' the dative.
To help you remember them you can sing them to the tune of the beginning of Good King
Wenceslas.
Prepositions or triggers
Preposition
Translation
aus
From/out of
bei
At/at the house of
mit
With
nach
To (a place)/after/past (time)
seit
Since/for (time)
von
From
zu
To
gegenber Opposite
auer
Except for
zu + dem = zum
zu + der = zur
Examples
Meine Mutter kommt aus einem kleinen Dorf -> My mum comes from a little village.
Ich studiere Deutsch seit vielen Jahren -> I've been learning German for many years.
Meine Schwester tanzt mit ihrer besten Freundin -> My sister dances with her best friend.
Mixed prepositions
The following prepositions can 'trigger' the accusative or the dative.
Prepositions or triggers
Preposition (accusative
Translation
trigger)
an
On-vertical
On-horizontal,
auf
upon
hinter
Behind
Preposition (dative
trigger)
neben
Next to/beside
ber
Over/above
unter
in
vor
Under/among
In front of/before/to
(time)
In/into
Translation
Preposition (accusative
trigger)
an + dem = am
in + dem = im
in + das = ins
Translation
Preposition (dative
trigger)
zwischen
Translation
Between
English sentences
I am in the book shop -> I am inside the shop all the time.
I am going in(to) the book shop -> I am moving from outside into the book shop.
The mistletoe is hanging over my head -> It isnt moving about its hanging still.
The plane flew over the house -> It moved from elsewhere to over the house.
They can be used to talk about something's position where it does not move from one
place to another.
They can be used to talk about something's position where it moves from elsewhere into
that position.
Where there is place to place movement, the prepositions trigger the accusative.
Where there is no place to place movement, the prepositions trigger the dative.
Examples
Ich gehe in die Stadt -> I'm moving from place to place -> accusative (I go into town).
Ich bin in der Stadt -> I'm staying in same place -> dative (I am in town).
Ich klebe ein Poster an die Wand -> Poster moving from place to place -> accusative (I'm
sticking a poster onto the wall).
Es gibt ein Poster an der Wand -> Poster staying in same place -> dative (There's a poster
on the wall).
Er luft zwischen seine Freunde -> Friends are staying still, he's moving between and
past them -> accusative (He's walking between his friends).
Er luft zwischen seinen Freunden -> They're all walking, so in relation to the friends,
hes in same place -> dative (He's walking between his friends) to the friends, he's in
same place.
Genitive prepositions
The following prepositions 'trigger' the genitive.
Prepositions or 'triggers'
PrepositionTranslation
(an)statt
Instead of
trotz
In spite of
auerhalb Outside
whrend During
innerhalb Inside
wegen
Because of
Examples
Whrend der Woche darf ich nicht ausgehen -> During the week I'm not allowed out.
Ich bin wegen des Wetters nicht gegangen -> I didn't go because of the weather.
Ich wohne auerhalb der Stadt -> I live outside the town.
Genitive
anstatt
auf
hinter
in
neben
ber
unter
vor
zwischen
durch
fr
gegen
ohne
um
wider
aus
auer
bei
aufgrund
entgegen
auerhalb
entsprechend dank
mit
statt
nach
whrend
seit
wegen
von
zu
bis
durch
fr
gegen
ohne
um
wider
bis
bis bald
(see you soon)
bis in den Tod
von Kopf bis Fu
(from head to toe)
durch
(Expressions):
10 [geteilt] durch 5 ist gleich 2
(10 divided by 5 is 2)
Used in the construction of the passive voice:
Google wird durch Werbung finanziert
(Google is financed by advertisements)
Important verbs followed by the preposition durch:
waten durch
(to wade through)
fr
for (PURPOSE)
sterben fr dich
(to die for you)
of (PURPOSE)
Institut fr Allgemeine Physik
(Institute of General Physics)
abstellen fr
(to send to)
adaptieren fr
(to adapt to/for)
agitieren fr
(to campaign for)
Geld ausgeben fr
(to spend money for)
brgen fr
(to vouch for)
einstehen fr
(to be responsible for something)
sich entscheiden fr
(to decide on)
entschuldigen fr
(to apologize for)
interessieren fr
(to be interested in)
sorgen fr
(to take care of something)
vertauschen fr
(to change for)
gegen
against (LOCAL)
Kampf gegen den Krebs
(the fight against cancer)
gegen die Wand
(against the wall)
abdichten gegen
(to seal against)
abhrten gegen
(to strengthen against)
abschirmen gegen
(to protect against)
agitieren gegen
(to campaign against)
protestieren gegen
(to protest against)
ohne
um
at (TEMPORAL)
um zehn Uhr
(at ten o'clock)
um ein Haar(very nearly)
bitten um
(to ask for/ to request)
kmmern um
(to care for)
wider
against
Er handelt wider das Gesetz
(He is acting against the law)
Wider Erwarten kam der Gast doch noch
(Against all expectations, the guest arrived)
ab
aus
auer
bei
entgegen
entsprechend
mit
nach
seit
von
zu
ab
aus
auswhlen aus
(select from)
bestehen aus
(consists of, to be composed of)
ableiten aus
(to derive from)
kommen aus
(to come from)
vertreiben aus
(to expel from)
auer
without
Auer der Liebe nichts
(Nothing else besides love)
Wir sprechen alles auer Hochdeutsch
(We speak everything except high German)
(expressions)
auer Betrieb
(out of service)
bei
in, with, at
Ich arbeite bei Porsche
(I work at Porsche)
bei Montage
(during assembly)
entgegen
against, contrary to
(expressions)
entgegen dem Uhrzeigersinn
(counter-clockwise)
entsprechend
according to
entsprechend dieser Regel
(according to this rule)
den Umstnden entsprechend
(according to the circumstances)
mit
with (MODAL)
Spiel mit mir
(Play with me)
Er reist mit dem Fahrrad
(Hes traveling with his bike)
ausrsten mit
(to equip with)
beginnen mit
(to begin with)
eindecken mit
(to supply with)
hantieren mit
(to be busy with, to temper with)
multiplizieren mit
(to multiply by)
protzen mit
(to make a show of)
rechnen mit
(to count on, reckon)
reden mit
(to talk with)
sprechen mit
(to speak with)
teilen mit
(to share with)
zusammenhngen mit
(to be related with)
nach
to (LOCATIVE)
nach links
(to the left)
after (TEMPORAL)
Sie studiert nach der Arbeit
(She studies after work)
seit
since (TEMPORAL)
Besucher seit 2008
(visitors since 2008)
von
abbringen von
(to dissuade from)
abhngen von
(to depend on)
ablassen von
(to desist from)
abschreiben von
(to copy from)
abweichen von
(to deviate from)
entbinden von
(to absolve from)
zurcktreten von
(to resign from/ to back out of)
zu
towards
er kommt zu mir
(he is coming to me)
"Zu" is used with the meaning of to
- when we are heading to a person or a specific place (with a name)
on, at, to
Er kommt zu Fu
(Hes coming on foot)
bergang zu der Demokratie
(Transition to democracy)
(EXPRESSIONS)
Ich bleibe zu Hause
(I stay at home)
Der Weg zum Meer
(The way to the sea)
Informationen zu Italien
(Information on Italy)
anstatt
aufgrund
auerhalb
dank
statt
whrend
wegen
anstatt
instead of
Ich will anstatt der Pommes lieber mehr Salat
(I want more salad instead of French fries)
aufgrund
auerhalb
dank
thanks to
Dank deines Tipps hat es geklappt
(It worked thanks to your tip)
statt
instead of
Sie gab ihren Schmuck statt des Gelds
(She gave her jewelry instead of the money)
whrend
during
Whrend des Jahres 2008
(During 2008)
wegen
zerstreiten wegen
(to quarrel because of)
They are also called "Wechselprpositionen". They are accusative if they indicate movement and
dative if they indicate a state (of rest).
an
auf
hinter
in
neben
ber
unter
vor
zwischen
There are some verbs that always indicate movement and other that always indicate a state of
rest.
Verbs of movement
(regular and transitive)
Verbs of state
(irregular and intransitive)
an
(EXPRESSIONS)
Am Sonntag
(On Sunday)
Am Abend
(in the evening)
auf
in, about, on
absetzen auf
(to set down on)
achten auf
(to pay attention to)
achtgeben auf
(to look out for)
anstoen auf
(to toast for)
antworten auf
(to reply to)
ausweisen auf
(to expel from)
warten auf
(to wait for)
zielen auf
(to aim for)
zuschieen auf
(to hurdle toward)
hinter
behind
Gehen Sie bitte hinter das Haus
(Please go behind the house)
in
in, inside
einbauen in
(to insert into)
einbinden in
(to include in)
sich verlieben in
(to fall in love with)
versunken in
(to engulfed in)
zerteilen in
(to divide into)
neben
ber
nachdenken ber
(to think about)
reden ber
(to talk about)
unter
under
Die Ente liegt unter dem Tisch
(The duck is under the table)
vor
in front of
Sie wartet vor der Schule
(She is waiting in front of)
ago
Ich bin vor vier Jahren nach Deutschland gekommen
(I arrived in Germany four years ago)
zwischen
between
Ein Vertrag zwischen Vatikan und der Freien und Hansestadt Hamburg
(A contract between the Vatican and the free and Hanseatic city of Hamburg)
Time 5 Prepositions
| 45 Comments
Hello everyone,
and welcome to the German is Easy Learn German Online Course and today, its time for
THEM.
Prepare yourself for the 5th part of the Time Mini Series, get ready for:
Time prepositions
Now, if youre like Oh god oh god, prepositions this one is going to be so hard, I dont know
if I can handle it (which, on an unrelated note, is in fact what she said) I have good news for
you:
German time prepositions are neither hard nor numerous. The reason why we are talking about
them this late in the series is not the level of difficulty but the mere fact that many examples with
prepositions use words weve learned in the parts before. And also, you need to be able to
correctly address points in time first before you can use a preposition to put this point in time in a
relation with something. Because thats what prepositions do they express relations between
stuff (read more about prepositions in general here).
So today is not going to be too tough, I promise.
I want to say one thing before we start. I will give the English translation for each preposition but
I will also give an explanation of the relation or concept it expresses. The reason for that is that
not everyone reading this is a native English speaker and it is very well imaginable that one
English preposition has 3 possible translations in another language just like but vs the German
equivalents. So if you find the explanations technical and overly complicated and you are like
Yeah move on I got it, its since. , please indulge me.
Alright there is one concept which you need to understand first..nothing too serious just
some little something : the difference between a time span and a point in time. A time span is a
measure of time. It can be in minutes, seconds, hours, days, years, moments or even just time.
All these are measures of time like How much time? 3 Days.
A point in time on the contrary is what we basically have learned to point out in the 3 preceding
articles.. a word or a group of words that kind of names a more or less specific point in time
All these are examples for points in time like At what point in time/ When? Tomorrow.
Now why does this matter, you ask? Because some prepositions only work with a span, some
only with a point and some are ok with either. An English example for this are the prepositions
since and for. For needs a span while since wants a point as indication.
I have been here for yesterday is pretty damn wrong you know because the colors
dont match :)
So for each preposition I will tell you whether it takes a point, a span or both. Ok I think
now were set.
vor (pron. : foa)
Vor is THE word to give a measure between now and some point in the past However you do
this in your language, even if you have a million ways in German, all those will be vor in
English this is done by the word ago so we could say that vor is ago... However, the structure is
different. Vor is a PRE-position whilst ago is well, not a preposition if any sition than it
is a post-position.
So basically the only difference between ago and vor is the position vor comes first, ago
comes last. Now, if you are a beginner and you are a native English speaker and you want to say
some ago-thing in German it will happen to you that you start right with the span like here:
If you do that, start over! There is no way to save this and get anywhere near correct. You cant
just say vor at the end of something. Vor starts a group of word or in jargon a romauh semantic
unit. A German would need to do brain gymnastics to figure out that the vor is supposed to be
part of the time indication that has already been said. so it is no problem if it happens, you
have to get used to say vor first, but start over if you do it wrong and correct yourself.
Now, here is one thing vor and ago have in common that might not be so in other languages
lets say you saw a pink fluorescent Elephant last Monday. However, that wasnt the first time
because you had seen this beauty already on Saturday can you tell the story using vor 2 Tagen?
Ich habe am Montag wieder den pinken, floureszierenden Elefanten gesehen, den ich
schon vor 2 Tagen gesehen hatte.
On Monday, I have seen the pink, fluorescent elephant I had seen 2 days ago.
This doesnt work. Neither in English nor in German. Both words, ago and vor do refer to
(some) now. This might be different in other languages, so I felt like I have to say it. Anyway
moving on.
in (pron.: somewhat similar to greyhound but less syllables and different sounds)
In has 2 functions. First, it is the equivalent of vor in the future. If you want to indicate a time
difference, a span, between now and some point to come use in.
German and English are obviously pretty much the same here in in sense of x- time from now
is in.
The second thing in is used for is a general indication of a duration that is needed for an
achievement yeah I didnt understand that last part neither. The best way to grasp it is to
think of it as the answer to in what amount of time have you done that?.
Here, we have 2 time indications and thats why it is clear which in is meant. However,
sometimes it might be confusing.
This is not clear. do you do 3 days from now or will it take you 3 days to do it I dont know.
Also here, German and English are the same however, so if you have a feel for English, this
shouldnt be a problem in German.
But there is one difference between the German and the English in. The German one is not used
for ins that are used in sense of since or for.
This does NOT work in German so just remember the 2 concepts of in and dont think of it as a
mere translation of well in which is the best approach to prepositions anyway. Theyre not
translated. They have certain concepts and are used for these. Sometimes the concepts are the
same, sometimes theyre not. Before we move on, here is a weird example, that uses in in both
ways.
In 100 Jahren kann man vielleicht in einer Stunde von Berlin nach NY fliegen.
A hundres years from now, it might be possible to fly from Berlin to NY in one hour.
This action is over. Youre clearly not sleeping anymore. So it not part of the concept of seit.
Hence, you cant use seit here. The correct German phrase would use no preposition at all.
Now, some of you might ask which tense they have to use with seit. That is a hard question. As
you might have realized, German is really lax when it comes to tenses so much so that the
common subconscious compensates for this lack of precision by valuing punctuality so
much this is just a theory though :) anyway so tenses. Frankly it is nothing to worry
about both the following examples are correct.
The first sentence states a mere fact. You just happened to not eat any meat. The second sentence
expresses that this is something youve been actively doing and are doing still. You dont eat
meat by choice like..you breath, you go places and you dont eat meat. The following example
takes this to the extreme.
Now, here we have a clear difference in meaning but for the most verbs, the difference between
past and present is but a nuance, so dont think too hard. Alright, quick recap Seit is used
for stuff you started in the past, and you still do it now.
ab (pron.: up)
Ab is the equivalent of seit for the future. If you are going to start doing something at some point
and you either dont know or dont care when it is going to end, then use ab.
Wow the German example is actually shorter than the English one. This is a perfect example
for the lazy ass time indications in German. There are just soooo many assumptions being made
in the example like.. which Monday? Are you there or will you be there?
Still, it is 100% clear to a native because ab has a clear cut concept. Here is another example.
Now, there is a big difference to seit in that ab can only be used with points of time and NOT
with spans.
This doesnt mean anything because ab cant be used with a measure. If you want to use a
measure with ab, you have to do 2 steps lets say our time span is 3 weeks. First, use this to
point to some point in the future. The preposition for that is one weve already learned: in so
this would be in 3 Wochen. Now, this block is a point in time and we can put our ab in front o
fit. ab in 3 Wochen.
While not being the prettiest sentence to utter, people do talk that way at times. Now is this also
correct?
No, its not.. because ab is only for the future and now and the word for the past is seit. Before
we move on, here is one last example. Do you know these kind of little games like Who talks
first is stupid or Who laughs first secretly eats boogers.? We played those a lot at univers
uh elementary, yeah at elementary school so if you want to start a competition like that, here
are the words:
If you want to use a time span in your phrase, you have to do the same as we already did for
ab indicate a point in time using the span and vor or in respectively. Then put bis in front of
the whole thing.
Bis vor 3 Wochen hatte nie ein Wort Deutsch gelernt und jetzt spreche ich fliessend.
I hadnt learned one word of German until 3 weeks ago and now I am fluent.
You can see that English uses the same mechanics you need 2 prepositions to make it work,
until and ago but in German, the prepositions are right next to one another so this might make it
look odd to some of you. Anyway, people do talk that way and they even use it to say good bye
Bis in 3 Tagen.
Until in 3 days.(lit.)
And speaking of good bye and see you in 3 days.. I think we will make a break here. There are
some more things to know, namely the teams vor-nach and von-bis and the word her. If we did
all that now, this would be by FAR the longest post evuhhhh and it would be way beyond the 5
minutes internet attention span whats that? We have already exceeded that span a good deal? I
totally didnt realize I mean, I only visited like 124 145 different websites while writing this..
not so much after; all.
Anyways the prepositions we learned today are the most important ones anyway. Here they
are again with the question they are answering.
seit (point/ span) For how much time has something been happening? Since when has
something been happening?
bis (point) Until which point in time has something been happening?
If you want to train them, here is an exercise for you. just cover the solutions and try to figure
it out.
Time prepositions exercise
As always, if you have any question or suggestions, leave me a comment. I hope you liked it and
see you next time which according to some is also, what she said.
Leave a comment
Case By Case
As beginning students of German quickly become aware of, the German language features many cases", each and
every single one having its own unique headaches. In German, certain prepositions take certain cases. When one
says to take the case of", it means that the following noun object (and any associated articles and adjectives) will be
declined in that case.
Be careful not to mix up independent prepositions with in/separable verbs with preposition prefixes. There is a fine
line between the two structurally, but one that can mean something completely different if you stray on the wrong
side.
For the most part, German preposition usage follows the same word order as in English; it is noted in this article
where this is otherwise.
Bear in mind that these translations are only approximate: while following these translations will get you more-or-less
understood, there are a few finer points of meaning that can be missed. The same English preposition may take on a
myriad of meanings depending on the context, and it's often the same with German prepositions. Many English
phrases that use prepositions are replaced by entirely different structures in German take the example of
auswendig", translating to by heart". The reverse is also true. In fact, good use of idiomatic preposition usage is
often considered a mark of true fluency. Seeing that there are far too many of these to possibly list in any article, it is
advisable that if you have a question with regards to a translation that you ask a native, or failing that, looking it up in
an online dictionary that translates idiomatic phrases. (I would personally recommend wordreference.com.)
innerhalb inside of
in der Nhe near
trotz despite*
whrend during*
wegen because of*
*In informal spoken German, these prepositions will commonly take the dative case.
Compass directions also take the genitive case:
nrdlich north of
stlich east of
sdlich south of
westlich west of
German Prepositions
Definition: Prepositions define relationships between words in the sentence. The case of the object is determined
by the preposition, or by the preposition and how it is used. Certain prepositions have objects in only one case;
accusative, dative, or even genitive. Other prepositions can have objects in either accusative or dative case.
Examples in German:
Vienna is not in Switzerland.
Wien ist nicht in der Schweiz.
The train arrives at 11:30.
Der Zug kommt um elf Uhr dreiig.
This is a hot coffee without sugar.
Das ist ein heier Kaffee ohne Zucker.
Accusative/Dative Case:
at, to
on
behind
in, (into)
beside
above, over
under
an
auf
hinter
in
neben
ber
unter
before
between
vor
zwischen
Examples in German:
Ich sitze in einem groen Zimmer.
Ich trete in ein groes Zimmer hinein.
Er steht zwischen dem Studenten und dem Professoren.
Sie schleicht zwischen den Studenten und den Professoren.
Accusative Case:
until
through
along
for
against
without
at, around
against
bis
durch
entlang
fr
gegen
ohne
um
wider
Examples in German:
Wir trennen uns jetzt bis Freitag. (until)
Wir fahren nur bis Leipzig zusammen. (to)
Gegen Frhling wird es allmhlich wrmer. (toward)
Read More:
Preposition with Genetive Case
Two-Way Prepositions
Lets look at the nine little beauties that can be either accusative or dative:
Two-Way Prepositions in the Accusative Case
Preposition
an (at, on top of)
auf (on, onto, to)
hinter (behind)
in (in, into, to)
neben (next to, beside)
ber (above, over)
unter (under, underneath)
vor (in front of)
zwischen (between)
Masculine
an den
auf den
hintern
in den
neben den
bern
untern
vor den
zwischen den
Feminine
an die
auf die
hinter die
in die
neben die
ber die
unter die
von die
zwischen die
Neuter
ans
aufs
hinters
ins
neben das
bers
unters
vors
zwischen das
Feminine
an der
auf der
hinter der
in der
neben der
ber der
unter der
vor der
zwischen der
Neuter
am
auf dem
hinterm
im
neben dem
berm
unterm
vorm
zwischen dem
After a few German two-way prepositions, a shortened form of the definite article can be merged
with the preposition to make one word.
an + das = ans
an + dem = am
auf + das = aufs
in + das = ins
in + dem = im
Some other forms that arent as frequently used are hintern, hinterm, hinters, bern, berm,
bers, untern, unterm, unters, vorm and vors.
Prepositions in the dative case describe positions or refer to a static location. These
prepositions can answer questions that start with: Where?
For example:
Deine Tasche liegt auf dem Tisch. (The bag is on the table.) Where is the bag?
Tip
If you arent quite confident with the prepositions and their shortened forms, stick to the
long form, for example hinter dem or ber das instead of hinterm and bers. Its only the
most frequently used ones that you should remember as they are quite commonly used.
German Prepositions
Learn all about German prepositions in this easy-to-follow free online lesson. You will find a list
of prepositions used in everyday German together with lots of examples and explanations.
Essential reading for anyone learning German.
German Prepositions
First of all, in case you are wondering:
'What is a preposition?'
Quite simply, a preposition is a word which describes a relationship between a noun or a pronoun
and another element of a sentence. Let's take a look at a few examples in English before we get
started.
I will highlight all prepositions in blue for better understanding.
On the phone
By the phone
Behind the phone
Inside the phone
Below the phone
Easy, right?
Well, maybe in English. German prepositions, however, are more difficult to learn because of
those pesky German cases. Confused, don't be! All will become clear very soon.
Actually, quite a lot! In German, the case of a pronoun and noun is determined by the preposition
it occurs with. To confuse matters, some prepositions take just one case, others can take two
depending on the sentence.
Why is it so important to learn which case a German preposition takes?
Quite simply, because the case will decide how the nouns following the preposition are 'declined'
(i.e. formed).
The following three tables will list:
3. German prepositions which can take both the accusative and dative cases
N.B It is easier to learn those prepositions which take just one case to begin with.
Preposition
In English
Example
Example in English
bis
until / to / by
durch
through / by
entlang
along / down
fr
for
gegen
about / against /
contrary to
ohne
without
um
around / at
wider
against
Preposition
In English
Example
Example in English
ab
from
aus
auer
apart from / except Auer meiner Mutter war niemand There was no-one there
for / besides
da
apart from my mother
bei
at / near / next to
dank
thanks to / due to / Dank meinem Bruder kann ich mir Thanks to my brother I can
owing to
das Buch leisten
afford the book
entgegen
contrary to /
against
entsprechend
according to /
corresponding to
According to expectations
gegenber
opposite (to)/
across from /
gem
according to /
According to the law he is
Gem dem Gesetz ist er schuldig
under the terms of
guilty
mit
with / by
nach
to / after
samt
including /
together with
seit
since / for
von
by / from / of
zu
at / to
zufolge*
according to
*The preposition 'zufolge' is sometimes, although less often, also found in the genitive case
where it is positioned before the noun. Used most often in Swiss German and legal documents.
3. German prepositions which take both the accusative and dative cases
Before we take a look at these prepositions, you need to know how to determine if the
preposition takes the accusative or dative case.
It can be determined, quite simply, by asking either wo? (where?) or wohin? (where to?).
When describing a movement to a certain place (where to?), the preposition will always occur in
the accusative case and, therefore, decline the noun in the accusative case.
Examples:
1. Ich fahre in die Stadt (I am driving into town). Where am I driving to? To town. 'In' is,
therefore, found here in the accusative case.
However, when there is no movement involved and a fixed place is being talked about (where?),
then the dative case is used.
2. Ich wohne in der Stadt (I live in the town). Where do I live? In the town. 'In' is, therefore, here
in the dative case.
(By the way, the dative case, is also always used after the question, woher? - where from?)
Let's now take a look at the following table which details prepositions using both the accusative
and dative case.
In English
Dative
Example
The application
Die Bewerbung soll an
should be sent to Ich bin an der
die Personalabteilung
the personnel
Ampel
geschickt werden
department
In English
I am at the
traffic lights
an
to / in / at
auf
I am putting the
upon / on / Ich stelle die Teller auf
Wir sitzen auf We are sitting
plates on the
at / to
den Tisch
einer Bank
on a bench
table
I am going
behind the
curtain
The vacuum
Hinter dem
cleaner is
Vorhang ist der
behind the
Staubsauger
curtain
hinter
behind
in
into / in /at
We are driving
Morgen fahren wir in
into town
die Stadt
tomorrow
neben
next to /
Kannst Du bitte den
Can you please Der Tisch steht The table is
near /
Tisch neben die Wand put the table
schon neben
already next to
beside /
stellen?
next to the wall? der Wand
the wall
adjacent to
ber
over /
across /
above /
about
unter
under /
among /
beneath
vor
zwischen
Wir kaufen in
der Stadt ein
ber dem
Regenbogen
We are
shopping in
town
Over the
rainbow
The dog is
I am driving
Der Hund liegt laying
under the bridge unter dem Tisch underneath the
table
I am standing
between the
two cars
Tip: Prepositions are much more common in the accusative and dative case than in the genitive
case - so remember this next time when you have forgotten which case a preposition takes.
Genitive Case prepositions coming soon...
German has dative, accusative, genitive and two-way prepositions and postpositions.
Each preposition causes the adverbial expression on which it acts to take the case of the
preposition. Two-way prepositions cause the adverbial expression to take the accusative case if
the verb is transitive, and the dative case if the verb is intransitive.
Several German prepositions
Accusative
Dative
Genitive
two-way
bis
aus
whrend
an
durch
auer
trotz
auf
entlang
bei
fr
mit
wegen
in
gegen
nach
innerhalb
neben
ohne
seit
auerhalb
ber
um
von
jenseits
unter
wider
zu
diesseits
vor
gegenber
zwischen
ab
Notes:
Gegenber is one of the rare postpositions which typically follows the object it modifies.
Er stand mir gegenber.
Mir gegenber steht Auenminister Fischer.
However:
Gegenber von Ihnen befindet sich das Stadtmuseum.
Nach is also sometimes used as a postposition, when its meaning is "according to". The two
phrases are equivalent:
Nach dem Pfarrer sei Gott gut.
Dem Pfarrer nach sei Gott gut.
In spoken language, the genitive with prepositions is nowadays often replaced by the dative. But
it is important to notice that this replacement is still just colloquial language, e.g.:
Written: Whrend des Essens wollen wir nicht gestrt werden.
Spoken: Whrend dem Essen wollen wir nicht gestrt werden.
Wo? Wann?
Wohin?
Wie?
Accusative Dative
auf
Accusative Accusative
Dative
Short notation
Some combinations of articles and prepositions are usually combined:
Short notation
Preposition + Article Short notation
an + das
ans
an + dem
am
auf + das
aufs
bei + dem
beim
in + das
ins
in + dem
im
von + dem
vom
vor + dem
vorm
zu + dem
zum
zu + der
zur
In all other cases the preposition and articles have to be written separately.
Preposition
Case
denken
an
accusative
sich erinnern
an
accusative
sich gewhnen
an
accusative
glauben
an
accusative
arbeiten
an
dative
erkranken
an
dative
hngen
an
dative
teilnehmen
an
dative
sich freuen
auf
accusative
schimpfen
auf
accusative
sich verlassen
auf
accusative
verzichten
auf
accusative
vorbereiten
auf
accusative
warten
auf
accusative
basieren
auf
dative
beharren
auf
dative
Verb
Preposition
Case
beruhen
auf
dative
bestehen
auf
dative
sich bedanken
bei
dative
sich beschweren
bei
dative
bleiben
bei
dative
dative
sich bedanken
fr
accusative
sich interessieren
fr
accusative
sorgen
fr
accusative
sprechen
fr
accusative
protestieren
gegen
accusative
stimmen
gegen
accusative
verstoen
gegen
accusative
sich wehren
gegen
accusative
geraten
in
accusative
einwilligen
in
accusative
teilen
in
accusative
sich verlieben
in
accusative
sich irren
in
dative
sich tuschen
in
dative
sich ben
in
dative
unterrichten
in
dative
anfangen
mit
dative
sich begngen
mit
dative
sich beschftigen
mit
dative
rechnen
mit
dative
fragen
nach
dative
riechen
nach
dative
schmecken
nach
dative
sich sehnen
nach
dative
sich bemhen
um
accusative
Verb
Preposition
Case
beneiden
um
accusative
bitten
um
accusative
sich handeln
um
accusative
sich kmmern
um
accusative
sich rgern
ber
accusative
sich beklagen
ber
accusative
diskutieren
ber
accusative
erschrecken
ber
accusative
sich freuen
ber
accusative
schimpfen
ber
accusative
abhngen
von
dative
trumen
von
dative
schwrmen
von
dative
sich frchten
vor
dative
flchten
vor
dative
schtzen
vor
dative
warnen
vor
dative
sich entschlieen
zu
dative
gehren
zu
dative
neigen
zu
dative
zhlen
zu
dative
Introduction
Prepositions are small words (an, in, zu) that typically come before a noun.
Even advanced learners often have problems with prepositions, because you cant translate them
1:1. Usually there arent any rules for the usage of each preposition. The only solution is to look
them up in a dictionary, read a lot in German, and learn important prepositional phrases by heart.
Frh am Samstagmorgen fhrt Paula mit dem Fahrrad ber den Berg zum Haus ihrer Oma. Das
macht sie schon seit vielen Jahren an den Wochenenden so. Sie bleibt bis Sonntag bei ihrer Oma
und fhrt am Nachmittag wieder zurck, damit sie vor 18 Uhr zum Abendessen wieder zu Hause
ist.
Manchmal besucht Paula ihre Oma auch zu Fu. Bei schlechtem Wetter fhrt sie mit dem Bus.
Important Prepositions
In the following tables, weve summarised some rules for commonly-used prepositions in
German.
English
on/at
at/by
on
auf
in
at
onto
aus
from
auerhalb outside
bei
at/with
Usage
attached to
in the sense of in front of,
next to, near
on a surface
on a side
the world
a picture
an event
work
the station
onto something
origin
outside (of) + noun
at a place/with somebody
Example
Das Bild hngt an der Wand.
Jemand steht an der Tr.
Der Apfel liegt auf dem Tisch.
Das Kino befindet sich auf der linken
Seite.
Du bist der netteste Mensch auf der
Welt.
Auf dem Bild sind meine Eltern.
Wir waren gestern auf einem Konzert.
Er ist noch auf der Arbeit.
Bist du auf dem Bahnhof?
Die Katze springt auf den Tisch.
Jan kommt aus Hamburg.
Sie lebt auerhalb der Stadt.
Ich wohne noch bei meinen Eltern.
German
durch
English
gegenber opposite
hinter
behind
in/on
in
nach
neben
ber
in
in/at
on
into
to
next to
across
above
under
unter
below
vor
Usage
in front of
to
zu
towards
zwischen between
on the otherside/facing
something
at the back of something
Example
Wir fuhren durch den Tunnel. Sie
schwammen durch den Fluss.
Sie wohnt gleich gegenber.
English
Usage
Example
the time or date something
ab
from/as of
Ab morgen bin ich im Urlaub.
begins
on
weekdays
Wir fahren am Montag in den Urlaub.
an
in
time of day
Am Abend gehen wir ins Kino.
at
the weekend
Am Wochenende faulenze ich am liebsten.
auerhalb outside
outside of/out of/apart
Sie rufen auerhalb der Sprechzeiten an.
German
bis
in
nach
seit
um
vonbis
(zu)
vor
whrend
English
Usage
of/out of
from + noun
apart from
Example
by a certain time
To Note
There is no preposition directly before a year in German.
Example:
Die Berliner Mauer fiel 1989./Die Berliner Mauer fiel im Jahr 1989.
(not: Die Berliner Mauer fiel in 1989.)
However, you often encounter a preposition before the year when youre listening to or reading
German. This is an anglicism and is officially considered incorrect in German (at least for now).
Example
Kannst du das auf Deutsch sagen?
Ich mag alle Mitschler auer Martin.
Wir sind mit dem Zug/Fahrrad gekommen.
Sie hat mit 30 Jahren Deutsch gelernt.
German English
Usage
Example
ber
about a topic
Wir unterhielten uns ber das Buch.
from
giver/presenter
Das Geschenk ist von Gabi.
von
by
creator (author, painter, etc.)
Das Gedicht ist von Friedrich Schiller.
zu
on
on foot (idiomatic construction) Wir sind zu Fu unterwegs.
Summary Chart
Diagnostic Exercises (check if
you've mastered this topic!)
These exercises cover:
Prepositions
Strong Verb/Weak Verb
Pairs (stehen/stellen
etc.)
Prepositional Verbs
Practice Exercises
Prepositional Verbs
Summary Chart
Note: As in English, the meanings of the prepositions in German are quite flexible, and very
important to know, since these little words come up all the time. As a result, it is difficult to
give English equivalents for a list like this. The compromise used below is to give their
primary meanings, and to write "etc." where other meanings occur particularly often. Try
the second of the "Practice Exercises" on this page (Wie sagt man...?) in order to get a feel
for how these prepositions can be used in various contexts.
Mnemonic advice: To remember the accusative prepositions, use the acronym "O Fudge"
[ohne, fr, um, durch, gegen], or ask your instructor about chanting "Durch-fr-gegenohne-um, Deutsch zu lernen ist nicht dumm." For the dative prepositions, sing "Aus-auerbei-mit, nach-seit, von-zu" to the tune of the "Blue Danube" waltz, or think of the touching
love poem "Roses are red, violets are blue, aus-auer-bei-mit, nach-seit, von-zu." For the
two-way prepositions, sing "An, auf, hin-ter, ne-ben, un-ter/-ber, in, vor, zwi-i-schen" to
the tune of the "An die Freude" ["Ode to Joy"] chorus from Beethoven's 9th symphony.
Contractions: common contractions of the prepositions with forms of der/das/die are
included in the table below; where the contraction is in bold print, it is generally (though
not always) preferable to the two-word form in speaking and writing; contractions not listed
in bold print below are heard often in informal spoken German, but are less common in
writing. Other contractions (e.g. "neben + das = nebens") are possible, but only the more
commonly used ones are listed below.
Accusative Prepositions
Nouns and pronouns following these prepositions will always be
in the Accusative
bis
for
gegen
against, etc.
ohne
without
Dative Prepositions
Nouns and pronouns following these prepositions will always be
in the Dative
aus
out of
auer
at, etc.
gegenber
mit
with
nach
seit
from, etc.
to, etc.
Two-Way Prepositions
Nouns and pronouns following these prepositions will either be
in the Accusative (<==> Motion) or the Dative (<==>
Location)--more details below
an (an + das = ans; an + dem =
am)
on, etc.
entlang
along
behind
beside, besides
between
Genitive Prepositions
Nouns and pronouns following these prepositions will generally
be in the Genitive in more formal speaking and writing, but are
increasingly often in the Dative in less formal speaking and
writing.
(an)statt
instead of
trotz
despite
whrend
during
wegen
because of
auer-/inner-/ober-/unterhalb
[must use Genitive with these:
cannot use Dative]
diesseits/jenseits/beiderseits [must
use Genitive with these: cannot
on this/the other/both side(s) of
use Dative]
bungen
Accusative, Dative, Two-Way or Genitive? This exercise just asks you to choose the
appropriate case for each preposition.
Wie sagt man...? This exercise will help you practice the range of meanings of the
prepositions.
Motion or Location? This exercise will help you decide whether sentences involving
two-way prepositions describe motion or the location of the action.
Wo/Wohin? Practice choosing the right preposition to say where you are and where
you're going, and also practice using the appropriate cases with these prepositions.
Die Katze und die Maus Practice deciding whether to use dative or accusative with
the two-way prepositions in this story about the value of knowing a foreign
language :) Note that there are a number of "trick questions" in this exercise to
make it more realistic: some of the questions involve dative prepositions or
accusative prepositions, for whom the motion/location distinction is irrelevant, and a
couple of them involve prepositional verbs and adjectives.
Liedtexte [Song Lyrics] Another translation exercise involving prepositions. And for
fun, click on "weiter" at the top after you finish this exercise to see if you can figure
out who sang these songs :) Again, we normally encourage you to think in German
and avoid trying to translate literally from the English, but playing with song lyrics is
fun--especially because of how silly the literal translations often sound :)
Nach fnf im Urwald This exercise is excellent cumulative practice if you've seen this
movie. If you're a University of Michigan student, you will see this movie in German
221/231, or you can watch it in the Language Resource Center. It's always very
popular at our 221/231 movie screenings, so you'll probably enjoy it :)
For more practice, please refer to the exercises on prepositions on the "Case Overview"
page!
Exercises involving Strong Verb/Weak Verb Pairs (stehen/stellen etc.)
Das chaotische Zimmer This is a series of four exercises designed to help you figure
out which verb to use, practice the forms of the verbs, figure out which cases to use
with the nouns, and finally put together sentences using these verbs. Please use the
"weiter" button to navigate between these four exercises.
Was bedeutet...? Match the prepositional verbs with their English equivalents.
Welche Prposition? Match the statements with the appropriate preposition.
Lola und die Prpositionen If you've seen Lola rennt (Run Lola Run), try this to
practice prepositions and prepositional verbs.
Die groe Liebe Practice prepositional adjectives by first matching the prepositional
adjectives with their English equivalents, and then choosing the correct prepositions
to complete a series of romantic statements.
Wohin gehen wir?--Where are we going to?: an, auf, in, nach, zu
1. Continents, islands, countries, cities and towns:
a. Normally, use nach for these.
Wir reisen nach Europa, nach Tahiti, nach Deutschland, nach Kln
b. For countries with an article, use in.
Wir reisen in die Schweiz, in die USA, in den Irak, in die Trkei [Also: in
die Stadt]
2. Other locations:
a. Use in if you will end up inside a place or location.
Du gehst ins Kino, in die Klasse, in die Kirche, in den Zoo, in die Sauna,
in den Park, in die Stadt
b. Use auf if you will end up on something.
Ich gehe auf die Strae, du kletterst [=climb] auf den Berg, die Kuh
geht auf die Weide [=meadow], das Kind geht auf die Toilette, wir
fahren aufs Land [=countryside]
Auf is also sometimes used for going to formal events or public places.
Sie geht auf eine Party, auf eine Hochzeit [=wedding], auf einen
Empfang [=reception], auf die Post, auf den Markt [but usually: zum
Rathaus [=town hall], zur Universitt, zur Bibliothek]
c. Use an to describe motion to a precise spot, or to something that can be perceived as a
horizontal or vertical boundary (something you would stand at or by in English).
Precise spot: Er geht ans Mikrofon, an den Tatort [=scene of the crime],
an die Bushaltestelle [=bus stop], an seinen Platz, an die Kreuzung
[=intersection], an die Kasse [=cashier's desk]
Horizontal or vertical boundary: Sie geht ans Fenster, an die Tr, an die
Wand, an den Tisch ["Sie setzt sich an den Tisch"], an die Grenze
[=border], ans Meer, an die Tafel, an den Fluss, an den Rhein, an den
Strand [=beach], an den See, an den Zaun [=fence], ans Ufer
[=shore], an die Front [in war]
d. Use nach for directions (without an article), and idiomatically in nach Hause. Note: this,
and the use of nach for going to cities, countries etc. described above, are the only uses of
nach [to mean to]. Learners of German often use nach when they are not sure which
preposition is correct, but zu is a much better guess--see (e) below!
Fahren Sie nach links, nach rechts, nach Norden, nach Sden, nach
Osten, nach Westen. Gehen Sie nach oben, nach unten. Ich gehe nach
Hause.
e. If in doubt, use zu! Zu can replace in if you need not emphasize that you are going
inside, and must replace in if it would be absurd to speak of going inside--e.g. driving to a
building, visiting a person. You also need to use zu if you're going to a particular company's
locale that you're specifying with a proper name (e.g. Kroger). An exception to this latter
rule is the huge department store chain "Kaufhof," the reason being that the name contains
the word "Hof" [=yard], a space that one can go into.
Wir gehen zum/in den Bahnhof; wir fahren zum/in den Bahnhof; wir
fahren zur/in die Stadt; die Straenbahn [=tram] fhrt zum/ins
Museum; wir gehen zu/in Peter; wir gehen zur/in die Bckerei; wir
gehen zum/in den Bcker; zu/in SPAR (a supermarket chain), zum/in
den Kaufhof
Zu can also replace the use of auf for formal events and public buildings, and it can replace
the use of an generally. Thus, you can usually get by just by knowing zu, the use of nach
and in for countries, cities etc. (and of nach for directions), and the use of auf for Strae,
Land, Toilette etc.!
Wir sind in der Post, im Rathaus [=town hall], in der Bibliothek [but
usually: am Bahnhof, an der Universitt]
2c. An is used quite generally to indicate location at or near a place; bei can also be used
and is more like "in the vicinity of."
Wir sind bei Hans, wir wohnen bei Inge, ich bin beim Aldi [name of a
discount supermarket chain], er ist beim Metzger [=butcher], du
arbeitest bei Siemens/bei der Post/bei Hoechst, sie
studiert/lehrt/arbeitet an der Universitt
e. Zu does not usually indicate location, but it used to. The most important remnant is zu
Hause, and there are others, such as "zu Tisch" [=at table].
Zurck nach oben
2c. The action extends into the future. Use fr ONLY in this case.
4. Aus = out of. This basic meaning can be extended to describe where one comes from
(as in one's home or birthplace, what something is made of, and occasionally a motive
for doing something.. To say where one has just been, von is used. Von is also used to
say what planet someone is from, and to indicate the author of a book or the creator of a
work of art:
Snoopy kommt vom Mars, nicht aus Snoopy comes from Mars, not
Connecticut.
from Connecticut.
Charlie Brown kommt von London,
um zu helfen.
Die Peanuts Comics sind von Charles The Peanuts cartoons are by
Schulz.
Charles Schulz.
5. Wegen = because of. Unlike weil, da, and denn, wegen is a preposition, not a
conjunction. Like because of, it is followed by a noun or pronoun (in the genitive, since
it's a genitive preposition) that gives the reason, not by a whole clause (with a verb) that
gives the reason. In speaking, it is often used with the dative instead of the genitive.
6a. Similarly, vor and nach are prepositions, not to be confused with the corresponding
conjunctions bevor and nachdem ==> vor and nach need to be followed by a noun or
pronoun, whereas bevor and nachdem need to be followed by a whole clause that
includes a verb. [See "Wohin gehen wir?" above for other uses of nach.]
7. When ber means "about" (as opposed to "over" or "above"), it is always used with
the accusative:
9b. Gegenber can also be used to mean in relation to as in the following examples:
Introduction
Prepositions are small words that are placed in front of nouns or pronouns. Examples in English
are: in, under, from, after, for, through, next to. A prepositional phrases is a group of 2 or more
words that start with a preposition and end with a noun or pronoun. Here are some prepositional
phrases: in March, under the bed, from me, after lunch, for a long time, through the park, next to
her.
Do a quiz to identify prepositions (and other parts of speech).
German prepositions
German prepositions are quite easy to learn and are similar in use to their English equivalents.
The difference is that all German prepositions are followed by one of three German cases
(accusative, dative, genitive). It is essential, therefore, that the speaker or writer of German
knows which case is associated with each preposition. Only then can he or she be sure of
choosing the correct form of the article, adjective or noun.
The first three groups of prepositions are easy because they always take the same case. Here is a
list of the most common ones, with their most common meanings:
Accusative case
bis - until
durch - through
fr - for
gegen - against
ohne - without
um - around
Dative case
aus - out
ausser - except for
bei - near. at
nach - after, to
mit - with
seit - since
von - from
zu - to
Genitive case
statt - instead of
trotz - in spite of
whrend - during
wegen - because of
Following is the fourth group of very common two-way prepositions, that can take either the
accusative or the dative case:
Accusative/dative
an - at, on
auf - on
hinter - behind
in - in
neben - next to
ber - over
unter - under
vor - in front of
zwischen - between
The above prepositions take the accusative case when there is movement towards or into the
place indicated by the noun. They take the dative case when there is no movement towards or
into the place indicated by the noun. Here are some examples:
Accusative case:
Ich fahre jeden Tag in die Stadt. - I drive into town every day.
Der Hund lief hinter einen Baum. - The dog ran behind a tree.
Sie legte das Buch auf den Tisch. - She laid the book on the table.
Der Vogel flog ber das Haus. - The bird flew over the Haus.
Dative case:
Das Bild hing an der Wand ber der Tr. - The picture hung on the wall above the door.
Sie stand zwischen ihrer Mutter und ihrem Vater. - She was standing between her mother
and her father.
Note: The dative is used in the following sentences, even though there is movement:
Die Kinder sprangen vor dem Fernseher herum. - The kids were jumping around in front
of the TV.
Sie schwamm den ganzen Tag im Flu. - She swam in the river all morning.
Der Tiger ging in seinem Kfig auf und ab. - The tiger walked backwards and forwards in
its cage.
Die Maus lief die ganze Nacht unter meinem Bett umher. - The mouse was running
around under my bed all night.
There is movement in each of the above sentences, but there is no movement towards or into the
nouns (river, cage, bed, etc). The mouse remains under the bed; it doesn't run from the door and
then under the bed. The tiger remains in its cage; it does not enter its cage from outside of it. The
girl remains in the river. There is no mention of her jumping into the water from the river bank.
And so on.
In summary: The accusative case is used with the two-way prepositions only when there is
movement towards or into the place indicated by the noun or pronoun.
Note: English noun phrases starting with the preposition of .. are usually conveyed in German by
the genitive case without a preposition. Here are some examples:
Note: English noun phrases starting with the preposition to .. and expressing the indirect object
are usually conveyed in German by the dative case without a preposition. Here are some
examples:
I gave the book to my friend = ich schenkte meinem Freund [dative] das Buch
the photo of a house = das Foto eines Hauses [genitive]
However you ended up looking to brush up your prepositions, dont fearyouve come to the
right place. Well have you knitting prepositions into your German sentences beautifully by the
end of this.
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take
anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
entlang (along)
fr (for)
ohne (without)
ab (from) time
aus (out of, from)
gegenber (opposite)
mit (with)
zu (to)
It can be hard work remembering which prepositions take which case, but there are ways of
making it stick. Its best to learn which case a preposition takes when youre in the process of
learning the word.
So, however you choose to learn your vocabulary, make sure you write the corresponding case
on those flashcards or posters, and dont forget to chant the case alongside the preposition as
youre waiting for the bus.
Learning phrases with prepositions in them is another excellent way to learn which case they
take. You always have a phrase to refer to if you cant remember off the top of your head. So for
example, you might learn the phrase entgegen allen Erwartungen (contrary to all
expectations). From the n in allen, you will always know that entgegen takes the dative (if it
were accusative if would read alle).
And Ill let you in on a little secret, too: Many Germans dont use the genitive with these
prepositions when theyre speaking. They use the dative instead. But if you have exams to take
or academic papers to write, wed advise using the genitive when you can.
Heres a handy list of genitive prepositions:
diesseits/jenseits/beiderseits (on this side of/on the other side of/on either side of
whrend (during)
Notice how all the prepositions ending in halb or seits take the genitive.
Also, as a general rule, prepositions with an English translation which includes the word to
(thanks to, according to, etc.) take the dative, whereas most of those that include the word of
(in spite of, because of, etc.) take the genitive case. Of course, thats not a hard and fast rule, but
its worth knowing for those times when you are without a dictionary and need to make an
educated guess.
Learn the prepositions (and the cases that they take) at the same time as learning
the verb. Learn the whole thing as a unit: instead of learning sich verlieben (to fall in
love), learn sich verlieben in (+acc). That way it will stick in your head.
an + das = ans
an + dem = am
in + das = ins
in + dem = im
zu + dem = zum
zu + der = zur
2. Prepositional adverbs
Sounds scary, doesnt it? But actually its really simple. So simple, that lots of people start using
them without even noticing theyre doing it. In fact, I didnt even know what they were called
until I just looked it up.
Prepositional adverbs are formed by taking a preposition and putting the prefix da- (or dar- if the
preposition begins with a vowel) on the beginning. So auf becomes darauf, von becomes davon,
and so on. They are used to refer back to something youve just mentioned, and the Germans use
them all the time.
Again, its probably easiest to understand using examples.
Ich fahre Morgen nach Berlin, aber meine Mutter wei nichts davon.
(Tomorrow Im going to Berlin, but my mother doesnt know anything about it.)
Er hat einen neuen Job und er freut sich sehr darber.
(He has a new job and hes really pleased about it.)
The da + preposition word can also come before the thing youre referring to, as in the following
examples:
Sie hatte Angst davor, dass sie bei der Prfung durchfallen wrde.
(She was scared that she would fail the test.)
Ich warte darauf, dass sie das Haus verkauft haben.
(Im waiting for them to have sold the house.)
This happens when youre using a verb (or verbal phrase) which is usually used with a
preposition, but you dont have a noun to follow the preposition. Many verbs dont really make
sense in German without their prepositions (see the list above), so you have to find a way to keep
the preposition.
For example, the first sentence uses the verbal phrase vor etwas (+dat) Angst haben (to be
scared of something). The sentence could easily have read Sie hatte Angst vor der Prfung. In
this case, it is simple: The noun that follows vor is put in the dative case. In the example,
however, the thing that she is scared of is not a noun, but a whole clause (a clause being a phrase
with a conjugated verb, she would fail). Because you cannot put an entire clause in the dative
case, you have to put in a little da-.
It may seem a little weird at first, but after a while it becomes completely natural. In German, the
sentences are very well ordered. Everything must be tied up and neat. Therefore you cant leave
a preposition hanging without a noun, so the da- is just a way of tidying up. If you think about a
literal translation of that example sentence, things may become a little clearer: She had anxiety
about it, that she would fail the test.
So there you have it, German prepositions in a nutshell. They may not be the easiest thing to
learn, but they are seriously useful. And if you do everything weve suggested here, youll soon
be laughing. What did I even find so complicated?!
Accusative case
answers the question: where to (wohin) is something/someone going, running, etc. You always
have two places: A and B. The movement goes from A to B. (for example from the street into the
restaurant, from the restaurant to the bar etc.)
In some grammar books, you find the difference between movement (Dative) no
movement (Accusative).
This is wrong. If you have learned it, try to figure out the correct concept.
Otherwise, you might get confused!
You can have a lot of movement at one place (where): Where do you run/swim/go
for a walk?
I am swimming in a pool. This is definitely a movement, isnt to? But it is a
movement at one place, the pool. For a clearer understanding, have a look at the
example sentences and the video.
However, with accusative, you always have a movement.
With Dative, it is no movement and sometimes also movement!
an
auf
hinter
in
neben
ber
unter
vor
zwischen
at
on
behind
in
next to
over
under
before
in between
German prepositions
pronouns in the
Nominative Case
ich
du
er, sie, es
wir
ihr
sie/Sie (informal/formal)
Dative Case
Accusative Case
mir
dir
ihm, ihr, ihm
uns
euch
ihnen/Ihnen
mich
dich
ihn, es, sie
uns
euch
sie/Sie
the possessive articles in dative are builded according the indefinite article:
masculine:meinem, deinem, seinem, ihrem, unserem, eurem, ihrem.
feminine: meiner, deiner,
neutral as masculine
plural: meinen, deinen,
the possessive articles in accusative are builded according the indefinite article:
masculine:meinen, deinen, seinen, ihren, unseren, euren, ihren.
feminine: meine, deine,> no changes
neutral as masculine > no changes
plural: meine, deine,
5. Example Sentences
Wo? A. Where are the mice? DATIVE
Die erste Maus ist neben dem Schrank.
Die zweite Maus ist vor der Tasse.
Die dritte Maus ist vor dem Regal.
Die vierte Maus ist zwischen den Bchern.
Wo? Dative
Wohin? Accusative
Original Alphabetical
in
in
zu
to, at
von
from, of
mit
with
auf
on, at, in
fur
for
an
at, on
bei
by, with, at
nach
after, towards
aus
out, out of, from
um
around
ber
above, over, about
vor
in front of, before, ago
durch
through
bis
until, till
unter
under
zwischen
between
gegen
against
ohne
without
seit
since, for
whrend
during
neben
next to, beside
wegen
because of
hinter
behind, in back of
gegenber
opposite
ab
from
innerhalb
within
aufgrund
on the basis of, because of
trotz
in spite of
pro
per
auer
except, apart from
statt
instead of
laut
according to
auerhalb
outside
angesichts
in view of
per
by way of, per
mithilfe
with the aid of
entlang
along
gem
in accordance with
anhand
on the basis of, with the aid of
mittels
by means of
entsprechend
in accordance, accordingly
hinsichtlich
with regard to
bezglich
regarding
zufolge
according to
einschlielich
including
jenseits
beyond
zugunsten
in favor of
infolge
as a result of
samt
together with, along with
anstelle
instead of
seitens
on the part of
kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk
Original Alphabetical
bis
until, by, as far as (ACC)
durch
through (ACC)
fr
for (ACC)
gegen
against, around (timewise) (ACC)
ohne
without (ACC)
um
around (place), at (time) (ACC)
aus
out of, from (DAT)
auer
except for, besides, in addition (DAT)
bei
with, at the home of (DAT)
mit
with (DAT)
nach
to, after (DAT)
seit
since (timewise), for (DAT)
von
from, of (DAT)
zu
to (people and locations) (DAT)
an
to, toward (ACC); at, beside (DAT)
auf
onto, on (ACC); on, at (DAT)
hinter
behind (ACC und DAT)
in
into (ACC); in (DAT)
neben
beside, next to (ACC und DAT)
ber
over, across (ACC); above, over (DAT)
unter
under (ACC und DAT)
vor
in front of (ACC und DAT)
zwischen
between (ACC und DAT)
statt
instead of (GEN)
anstatt
instead of (GEN)
trotz
in spite of (GEN)
whrend
during (GEN)
wegen
on account of (GEN)
peinlich
awkward, embarrassing
niedlich
cute, sweet, pretty, nice
kjlkjlkjlj
ab
from... off, case: ?
am = an dem
at the [day] ... on the ... to the, case: dative
an
at ... on ... upon ... by, case: two way accusative or dative
ans = an das
at the ... on the ... to the, case: accusative
anstatt
instead of, case: genitive
auf
on top of... at ... upon ... onto, case: two way accusative or dative
aus
auer
except... beside, case: dative
auerhalb
outside of , case: genitive
bei
with ... at, case: dative
bis
until ... to ... by, case: accusative*
durch
per... by means of... through, case: accusative
entlang
along... down, case: accusative
fr
for, case: accusative
gegen
against... towards, case: accusative
hinter
behind, case: two way accusative or dative
im = in dem
in... at the [place... month... season], case: dative
in
in... at, case: two way accusative or dative
inbegriffen
including, case: ?
inklusive
including, case: ?
innerhalb
inside of , case: genitive
ins = in das
in the, case: accusative
mit
with... by, case: dative
nach
after ... towards ... to, case: dative
neben
beside... in addition to, case: two way accusative or dative
ohne
without, case: accusative
pro
per each, case: ?
seit
trotz
inspite of, case: genitive
ber
about... above... over... across, case: two way accusative or dative
um
about ... around, case: accusative
ums = um das
about ... around the, case: accusative
unter
under... below, case: two way accusative or dative
von
by ... from ... of, case: dative
vor
before... in front of... ahead, case: two way accusative or dative
whrend
during... throughout, case: genitive
wegen
because of, case: genitive
zu
to ... towards ... at ... for, case: dative
zum = zu dem
to the, case: dative
zur = zu der
to the, case: dative
zwischen
between, case: two way accusative or dative
Lk;kjkl;j
Original Alphabetical
aus
dat
ausser
dat
bei
dat
mit
dat
nach
dat
seit
dat
von
dat
zu
dat
fr
akk
um
akk
durch
akk
ohne
akk
gegen
akk
an
2way
auf
2way
hinter
2way
in
2way
neben
2way
ber
2way
unter
2way
vor
2way
zwischen
2way
trotz
gen
anstatt
gen
whrend
gen
wegen
gen