A guide for Australians on german prepositions with cases.
## 22. German Prepositions with Cases: The List Every Australian Learner Needs Prepositions in German are not just vocabulary words — they come with cases attached. Knowing the case a preposition takes is as important as knowing its meaning. This is the complete practical reference. ### Why This Matters In German, the noun phrase after a preposition must be in the case that the preposition requires. Get the preposition right but the case wrong and you will be understood — but corrected. ### Always Accusative These prepositions *always* take the accusative case: | Preposition | Meaning | Example | |------------|---------|---------| | *durch* | through | *durch den Park* (through the park) | | *für* | for | *für einen Freund* (for a friend) | | *gegen* | against / around (time) | *gegen die Wand* (against the wall) | | *ohne* | without | *ohne einen Kaffee* (without a coffee) | | *um* | around / at (time) | *um den Tisch* (around the table) | | *bis* | until / up to | *bis nächsten Montag* (until next Monday) | | *entlang* | along (follows the noun) | *den Fluss entlang* (along the river) | Memory tip: **DOGFU** — Durch, Ohne, Gegen, Für, Um (plus bis and entlang) ### Always Dative These prepositions *always* take the dative case: | Preposition | Meaning | Example | |------------|---------|---------| | *mit* | with | *mit dem Bus* (by bus) | | *nach* | after / to (cities/countries) | *nach Deutschland* (to Germany) | | *aus* | from / out of | *aus der Küche* (from the kitchen) | | *bei* | at / near / with (person) | *bei meiner Mutter* (at my mother's) | | *seit* | since / for (time ongoing) | *seit drei Jahren* (for three years) | | *von* | from / by / of | *von der Arbeit* (from work) | | *zu* | to (places, people) | *zum Supermarkt* (to the supermarket) | | *außer* | except | *außer mir* (except for me) | | *gegenüber* | opposite / toward | *dem Bahnhof gegenüber* (opposite the station) | Memory tip: **MABSVVAZ** — Mit, Aus, Bei, Seit, Von, Von (second), Zu, Außer ### Two-Way Prepositions (Accusative or Dative) These prepositions take *accusative* for **movement toward a destination** and *dative* for **location or movement within a place**. | Preposition | Meaning | |------------|---------| | *in* | in / into | | *an* | at / to (the side/edge of) | | *auf* | on / onto | | *über* | over / about | | *unter* | under / among | | *vor* | in front of / ago | | *hinter* | behind | | *neben* | next to | | *zwischen* | between | **The rule:** - Movement to a destination → Accusative (*Wohin?* — Where to?) - Location / movement within → Dative (*Wo?* — Where?) **Examples:** - *Ich gehe **in den** Park.* — I'm going **into** the park. (Accusative — movement to destination) - *Ich bin **im** (in dem) Park.* — I'm **in** the park. (Dative — location) - *Ich stelle das Buch **auf den** Tisch.* — I'm putting the book **onto** the table. (Accusative) - *Das Buch liegt **auf dem** Tisch.* — The book is lying **on** the table. (Dative) **The *wo/wohin* test:** Ask whether the sentence answers *Wo?* (Where — location, use dative) or *Wohin?* (Where to — destination, use accusative). ### The Contractions German helpfully contracts certain preposition + article combinations: | Full form | Contraction | |-----------|-------------| | *in dem* | *im* | | *an dem* | *am* | | *zu dem* | *zum* | | *von dem* | *vom* | | *bei dem* | *beim* | | *in das* | *ins* | | *an das* | *ans* | | *auf das* | *aufs* | These contractions are standard and preferred over the full forms in normal spoken and written German.Found this useful? Share it with other Australians learning German 🇦🇺
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B1 German / Beginner Swiss German
An Australian who learned German to B1 level without living in Germany — navigating the same lack of local resources that most Australian learners face. Currently learning Swiss German. This site is the resource I wished had existed when I started.
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