Two-way prepositions in German (Wechselpräpositionen) are prepositions that can take either the accusative or dative case, depending on whether they indicate direction (accusative) or location (dative).
German two-way prepositions (Wechselpräpositionen) are special because they can be followed by either the accusative or dative case. The case depends on the meaning:
- Use accusative for direction or movement toward a place.
- Use dative for location or being at a place without movement.
These prepositions always answer the question "wo?" (where?) for dative or "wohin?" (where to?) for accusative.
List of Two-way Prepositions
German Preposition | English Translation | Example (Accusative) | Example (Dative)
---|---|---|---
an | at, on (vertical surface) | Ich hänge das Bild an die Wand. (I hang the picture on the wall.) | Das Bild hängt an der Wand. (The picture hangs on the wall.)
auf | on, upon | Ich lege das Buch auf den Tisch. (I lay the book on the table.) | Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch. (The book lies on the table.)
hinter | behind | Ich gehe hinter das Haus. (I go behind the house.) | Ich bin hinter dem Haus. (I am behind the house.)
in | in, into | Ich gehe in die Küche. (I go into the kitchen.) | Ich bin in der Küche. (I am in the kitchen.)
neben | next to | Ich setze mich neben den Stuhl. (I sit next to the chair.) | Ich sitze neben dem Stuhl. (I sit next to the chair.)
über | over, above | Ich hänge die Lampe über den Tisch. (I hang the lamp over the table.) | Die Lampe hängt über dem Tisch. (The lamp hangs over the table.)
unter | under | Ich lege die Tasche unter den Stuhl. (I put the bag under the chair.) | Die Tasche liegt unter dem Stuhl. (The bag lies under the chair.)
vor | in front of | Ich stelle mich vor die Tür. (I stand in front of the door.) | Ich stehe vor der Tür. (I stand in front of the door.)
zwischen | between | Ich lege das Buch zwischen die Stühle. (I put the book between the chairs.) | Das Buch liegt zwischen den Stühlen. (The book lies between the chairs.)
How to Choose the Case
- Accusative (direction/movement): Use when there's a change of place or movement toward a goal.
- Dative (location/static): Use when indicating a fixed position or location—no movement.
What question does the dative case answer when used with two-way prepositions?
Wo? (Where?)
With two-way prepositions, the dative case answers 'Wo?' (Where?) indicating location or a static position.
Examples of Case Choice
Scenario | German | English
---|---|---
I go into the room. (movement) | Ich gehe in das Zimmer. | I go into the room.
I am in the room. (location) | Ich bin in dem Zimmer. | I am in the room.
She puts the vase on the table. (movement) | Sie stellt die Vase auf den Tisch. | She puts the vase on the table.
The vase is on the table. (location) | Die Vase steht auf dem Tisch. | The vase is on the table.
Yo ___ (gehen) en la habitación.
I go into the room. (gehen)
Ich gehe in das Zimmer.
The sentence involves movement 'into the room', so the accusative is used with 'in': 'Ich gehe in das Zimmer.' Dative ('bin in dem Zimmer') indicates location, not movement.
Conclusion
Understanding two-way prepositions is essential for mastering German spatial relationships. Remember:
- Ask yourself: Is there movement (Accusative) or location (Dative)?
- Learn the common two-way prepositions listed above.
- Practice with real-life scenarios to internalize the case usage.
This foundational knowledge will greatly improve your accuracy in German sentence construction.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
