Prepositions with Accusative Sometimes, Dative Sometimes
Prepositions with Accusative Sometimes, Dative Sometimes
This (LARGE) group is also known as two-way prepositions. All of them can be used to describe spatial relationships, and some of them describe other kinds too (temporal, modal, etc.). In a nutshell:
- If these prepositions express a goal-oriented movement you have to use the accusative.
- If there is no orientation toward a goal - just a description of a static relationship - you use the dative.
It seems that the accusative is the more dynamic case, whereas the dative seems to be more static (think "se-dative").
When the prepositional object is a noun which has no article for some reason, there is no sign whether the noun is accusative or dative! It is one of the mysteries of grammar that, just as we in English know whether "sheep" or "fish" is singular or plural, Germans know that they are using, or hearing, a dative.
Note that an and in can form contractions with both the dative pronoun dem and the accusative das.
an (am = an dem; ans = an das): on, at, next to
see also in
- has a spatial meaning and rules the accusative when expressing a movement and/or a goal:
- Die Katze (cat) geht an die Tür.
- has a spatial meaning and rules the dative when expressing a place or location:
- Die Katze sitzt an der Tür.
- Köln am Rhein.
- has a temporal meaning; here, it always rules the (masculine or neuter) dative and expresses synchrony: Am Anfang ist alles einfach. Am Abend gab es ein Gewitter.
- Notice: m. or n. nouns use 'an', femine nouns use 'in':
- In der Nacht und am Morgen arbeite ich am besten.
- But the names of the months, which are all masculine, use 'an' only when indicating a date, in all the other cases one uses 'in':
- Ich bin am 4. Juni geboren.
- Im Januar gehen wir Skifahren.
- Notice: m. or n. nouns use 'an', femine nouns use 'in':
auf: on, in, at, by, onto
see also unter
- has a spatial meaning and rules the accusative when expressing a movement towards the top of someone or something which ends with touching its goal:
- Der Schmetterling (butterfly) fliegt auf die Blume (flower).
- Ich gehe auf die Straße.
- has a spatial meaning and rules the dative when expressing a location on top of someone or someting:
- Die Katze sitzt auf dem Teppich. (carpet)
- Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch.
- expresses an intention and rules the accusative when there is a movement toward a goal:
- Ich gehe auf die Post (meaning in order to do something there like buying stamps or mailing a letter).
- Sie geht auf die Universität. (meaning in order to study, she is a student)
- expresses an intention and rules the dative when there is no movement toward a goal:
- Ich kaufe Briefmarken auf der Post.
- has a temporal meaning and rules the accusative when expressing a fixed duration of time which lies in the future:
- Die Schule ist auf lange Zeit geschlossen.
- has a temporal meaning and rules the dative when indicating the duration of time:
- Auf dem Kongress habe ich viele Kollegen getroffen.
- is used in connection with languages without any indication of case (no article):
- Ich kann das noch nicht auf Deutsch sagen.
hinter (hinterm = hinter dem, not used in writing): behind, at the back of
see also vor
- has a spatial meaning and rules the accusative when expressing a movement and goal:
- Die Spinne (spider) läuft hinter die Melone (melon).
- Wir stellen das Auto hinter das Haus.
- has a spatial meaning and rules the dative when there is no movement:
-
Die Neun liegt hinter der Acht.
-
Die Neun liegt hinter der Acht.
in (im = in dem; ins = in das): in, at, into
see also an
- has a spatial meaning and rules the accusative when expressing a movement into something:
- Die Katze läuft in die Röhre. (tube)
- Sie hat das Buch in das Regal gestellt.
- has a spatial meaning and rules the dative when expressing the location in something:
-
Die Bauklötze (building blocks) liegen in der Schale. (bowl)
- Das Buch steht im Bücherregal.
-
Die Bauklötze (building blocks) liegen in der Schale. (bowl)
- in its temporal meaning it always rules the dative. It expresses the duration of a limited time or a time after the time in which the speaker speaks, or a synchronous time:
- Wir können den Werbefilm in drei Wochen machen.
- Mein Freund kommt in einem Jahr wieder.
- Im Sommer gehen wir baden.
- in its modal meaning it always rules the dative:
- Ich bin in der Absicht gekommen, dir zu helfen.
- is used in connection with languages, with no indication of case (no article):
- Ich kann die Vorlesung auch in deutsch halten.
- is used in connection with colors with no indication of case (no article):
- Ich habe diesen Pullover in blau.
neben: beside
- has a spatial meaning and rules the accusative when expressing a movement directed beside someone or something:
- Man legt den Caro-Buben (jack of diamond) neben die Zehn.
- Sie hat sich neben mich gesetzt.
- has a spatial meaning and rules the dative when expressing a location beside someone or something:
- Die Flasche steht neben dem Glas.
- Sie sitzt neben mir.
über (überm = über dem, not used in writing): above, over, across
- has a spatial meaning and rules the accusative when expressing a movement:
- Das Flugzeug (airplane) fliegt über die Stadt.
- Ich hänge die Lampe über den Tisch.
- has a spatial meaning and rules the accusative in connection with routes:
- Die Straßenbahn fährt über den Paradeplatz.
- has a spatial meaning and rules the dative when expressing a location:
-
Über der Stadt sieht man viele Sterne. (stars)
- Die Lampe hängt über dem Tisch.
-
Über der Stadt sieht man viele Sterne. (stars)
unter: under, below, among
see also auf
- has a spatial meaning and rules the accusative when expressing a movement:
- Die Würfel (dice) rollen unter den Stuhl.
- Ich stelle den Drucker (printer) unter den Schreibtisch.
- has a spatial meaning and rules the dative when expressing a location:
- Unter dem Stein (stone) bewegt sich (is moving) eine Spinne (spider).
-
Der Drucker steht unter dem Schreibtisch.
- has a spatial meaning and rules the accusative when expressing a goal oriented movement into a group of things or people:
- Ein Truthahn (turkey) mischt sich unter die Puten (hens).
-
Ich mische mich unter die Zuschauer (spectators).
- has a spatial meaning and rules the dative when expressing a place among a group of things or people:
- Unter den Steinen hat er einen Diamanten gefunden.
vor: in front of, before, out of
see also hinter
- has a spatial meaning and rules the accusative when expressing a movement in front of someone or something:
- Der Vogel fliegt vor die Fahne.
- Ich stelle das Auto vor die Garage.
- has a spatial meaning and rules the dative when expressing a location or place in front of someone or something:
- Die Acht liegt vor der Neun.
- Das Auto steht vor der Garage.
- in its temporal meaning it rules the dative and expresses a point in time before the time in which the speaker speaks:
- Vor einer Woche war ich noch in den USA.
- in connection with a specified time it may also express what happened before the specified time:
- Vor dem Zweiten Weltkrieg war Kanada ein Agrarland.
- in connection with a specified time in he future it may also express what will happen before the specified future:
- Ich komme nicht vor heute abend.
- has a causal meaning expressing the reason why an action occurs; the case is unspecified (no article):
- Vor Lärm konnte ich nichts verstehen.
- 'aus' is used with a similar causal meaning, however, 'aus' indicates a more subjective, personal reason, 'vor' a more objective reason.
- Aus Angst bin ich weggelaufen.
- Die Frau wurde vor Angst bewusstlos.
zwischen: between
- has a spatial meaning and rules the accusative when expressing a movement directed between at least two things or persons:
- Das rote Auto parkt zwischen den grünen Autos.
- Wir stellen den Schreibtisch zwischen das Regal und das Bett.
- has a spatial meaning and rules the dative when expressing a location or place between at least two things or persons:
- Die Blumenvase steht zwischen den Kerzen.
- Der Schreibtisch steht zwischen dem Regal und dem Bett.
- in connection with numbers it expresses an undetermined point in time or space; no indication of case (no article):
- Er ist zwischen 1945 und 1950 geboren.