A comprehensive guide to German prepositions that govern the accusative, dative, or genitive case, including examples and usage rules.
German prepositions can be challenging because they determine which case the following noun or pronoun takes. This guide covers the key prepositions for each case—accusative, dative, and genitive—and provides examples to help you use them correctly.
- Accusative prepositions indicate direction, movement, or a change of state.
- Dative prepositions often show location, static situations, or indirect objects.
- Genitive prepositions express possession, cause, or more formal/written relationships.
German Prepositions Overview
Here’s a quick summary of which prepositions govern which cases:
- Accusative: bis, durch, für, gegen, ohne, um
- Dative: aus, bei, mit, nach, seit, von, zu
- Genitive: während, wegen, trotz, statt, außerhalb, innerhalb
+ Some prepositions can take either the accusative or dative depending on context (not covered here).
Accusative Prepositions
Accusative prepositions always take the accusative case. They often indicate movement toward something or a goal.
Key Accusative Prepositions
- bis — until
- durch — through
- für — for
- gegen — against
- ohne — without
- um — around/at (time)
Examples
- Wir gehen durch den Wald. (We go through the forest.)
- Das Geschenk ist für die Mutter. (The gift is for the mother.)
- Sie wartet bis den Abend. (She waits until the evening.)
Dative Prepositions
Dative prepositions always take the dative case. They often describe location, origin, accompaniment, or static situations.
Key Dative Prepositions
- aus — from/out of
- bei — at/near/with
- mit — with
- nach — after/to
- seit — since/for (time)
- von — from/of
- zu — to
Examples
- Ich komme aus der Stadt. (I come from the city.)
- Er wohnt bei seinen Eltern. (He lives with his parents.)
- Wir fahren mit dem Zug. (We travel by train.)
Genitive Prepositions
Genitive prepositions take the genitive case, which is more common in written or formal German. They express possession, cause, or other relationships.
Key Genitive Prepositions
- während — during
- wegen — because of
- trotz — despite
- statt — instead of
- außerhalb — outside of
- innerhalb — inside of
Examples
- Während des Urlaubs haben wir viel gelesen. (During the vacation, we read a lot.)
- Wegen des Regens bleiben wir zu Hause. (Because of the rain, we stay home.)
- Trotz des schlechten Wetters gehen wir spazieren. (Despite the bad weather, we go for a walk.)
Tips for Mastering German Prepositions
- Learn case endings: Practice the definite articles and adjective endings for each case.
- Use example sentences: Create your own sentences to reinforce the preposition + case combination.
- Pay attention to context: Some prepositions can be tricky, especially if they have multiple meanings.
Understanding German accusative, dative, and genitive prepositions is key to building accurate and natural sentences. Happy learning!
What is one effective strategy for mastering German prepositions?
Practice creating sentences with prepositions and their corresponding cases.
Creating sentences helps reinforce the correct preposition + case combination in context.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
