Prepositions of place in German are used to describe where something is located or happening. They can indicate position, direction, or spatial relationships between objects or people.
Common German Prepositions of Place
- in — in, inside
- auf — on, onto
- unter — under, beneath
- über — above, over
- neben — next to, beside
- vor — in front of
- hinter — behind
- zwischen — between
- an — at, on (a vertical surface or edge)
- gegenüber — opposite, across from
über (meaning and example)
above, over
The German preposition "über" means "above" or "over." For example, "Die Lampe hängt über dem Tisch" means "The lamp hangs over the table."
gegenüber (meaning and example)
opposite, across from
The German preposition "gegenüber" means "opposite" or "across from." For example, "Das Café ist der Schule gegenüber" means "The café is opposite the school."
Usage Rules
Accusative vs. Dative Case
- Two-way prepositions: in, auf, über, unter, neben, vor, hinter, zwischen, an
- Use dative when describing a location (where something is).
- Use accusative when describing a direction or movement toward a place (where something is going).
Examples
| German Preposition | Meaning | Dative Use (Location) | Accusative Use (Direction) |
|---|---|---|---|
| in | in, inside | Ich bin in der Küche. (I am in the kitchen.) | Ich gehe in die Küche. (I am going into the kitchen.) |
| auf | on, onto | Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch. (The book is on the table.) | Ich lege das Buch auf den Tisch. (I put the book onto the table.) |
| unter | under | Die Katze schläft unter dem Stuhl. (The cat sleeps under the chair.) | Die Katze kriecht unter den Stuhl. (The cat crawls under the chair.) |
| über | over, above | Die Lampe hängt über dem Tisch. (The lamp hangs over the table.) | Ich hänge das Bild über den Tisch. (I hang the picture over the table.) |
| neben | next to | Der Stuhl steht neben dem Tisch. (The chair stands next to the table.) | Ich stelle den Stuhl neben den Tisch. (I place the chair next to the table.) |
| vor | in front of | Er steht vor dem Haus. (He stands in front of the house.) | Er geht vor das Haus. (He goes in front of the house.) |
| hinter | behind | Der Garten ist hinter dem Haus. (The garden is behind the house.) | Ich gehe hinter das Haus. (I go behind the house.) |
| zwischen | between | Der Ball liegt zwischen den Stühlen. (The ball is between the chairs.) | Ich lege den Ball zwischen die Stühle. (I put the ball between the chairs.) |
| an | on, at (vertical) | Das Bild hängt an der Wand. (The picture hangs on the wall.) | Ich hänge das Bild an die Wand. (I hang the picture on the wall.) |
| gegenüber | opposite | Das Café ist der Schule gegenüber. (The café is opposite the school.) | — (Not typically used with movement) |
Additional Notes
- Some prepositions can appear in fixed expressions with dative, even if movement is involved (e.g., zur Schule gehen — going to school).
- gegenüber is usually used after the noun and is followed by the dative case.
- Use the definite article’s form for dative or accusative depending on the preposition and case.
- Movement verbs like gehen (go), kommen (come), fahren (drive), laufen (run), stellen (put upright), legen (lay), setzen (sit down), hängen (hang) often signal using accusative with two-way prepositions.
Summary Table
| Preposition | Meaning | Case for Location | Case for Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| in | in, inside | Dative | Accusative |
| auf | on, onto | Dative | Accusative |
| unter | under | Dative | Accusative |
| über | over, above | Dative | Accusative |
| neben | next to | Dative | Accusative |
| vor | in front of | Dative | Accusative |
| hinter | behind | Dative | Accusative |
| zwischen | between | Dative | Accusative |
| an | at, on (vertical) | Dative | Accusative |
| gegenüber | opposite | Dative | — |
Understanding these prepositions and their case usage will allow you to accurately describe locations and movements in German.
Flashcards (1 of 10)
- Meaning: in, inside
- Dative Use (Location): Ich bin in der Küche. (I am in the kitchen.)
- Accusative Use (Direction): Ich gehe in die Küche. (I am going into the kitchen.)
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
