Prepositions in German (Präpositionen) govern cases and shape meaning, so learning the most frequent ones gives you tools to describe time, place, and more. This guide lists common prepositions with their typical cases and example sentences to show them in action.
Accusative Prepositions
Accusative prepositions (Wechselpräpositionen und Akkusativpräpositionen) signal direction or time and require the noun to be in the accusative case. They are key for describing movement toward something.
German Preposition
English Preposition
durch
through
für
for
gegen
against
ohne
without
um
around / at (time)
German Example
English Translation
Note
✈️ Ich fliege über die Berge.
I am flying over the mountains.
Destination over
🏖️ Wir fahren an den Strand.
We are driving to the beach.
Direction to
🌉 Das Flugzeug fliegt unter die Brücke.
The plane flies under the bridge.
Passing underneath
🏕️ Sie legen das Zelt auf die Wiese.
They set up the tent on the meadow.
Surface destination
🚗 Er fährt durch den Wald.
He drives through the forest.
Movement through
Dative Prepositions
Dative prepositions (Dativpräpositionen) indicate location, recipients, or causes and require the noun to be in the dative case. They often answer where or to whom.
German Preposition
English Preposition
aus
out of / from
bei
at / near / with
mit
with
nach
after / to (place)
seit
since / for
von
from / of
zu
to
German Example
English Translation
Note
🛬 Das Flugzeug landet neben dem Leuchtturm.
The plane lands next to the lighthouse.
Location beside
🌳 Wir ruhen uns unter dem Baum aus.
We rest under the tree.
Location below
🏠 Sie wohnen gegenüber dem Flughafen.
They live opposite the airport.
Facing location
🚲 Ich fahre mit dem Rad zum Park.
I am riding with the bike to the park.
Means of transport
👫 Wir gehen zusammen zum Markt.
We go together to the market.
Accompaniment
Two-Way Prepositions
Two-way prepositions (Wechselpräpositionen) can take either accusative or dative depending on whether there is movement (accusative) or location (dative). They are essential for describing both where and where to.
German Preposition
English Preposition
an
at / on (vertical)
auf
on / upon
hinter
behind
in
in / into
neben
next to
über
over / above
unter
under / beneath
vor
in front of
zwischen
between
German Example
English Translation
Note
🛶 Wir legen das Floß an den Steg.
We dock the raft at the pier.
Accusative: movement to
🎣 Sie sitzen am Steg und angeln.
They sit at the pier and fish.
Dative: location
🏞️ Das Zelt steht auf dem Hügel.
The tent stands on the hill.
Dative: static position
🔥 Wir machen das Lagerfeuer auf die Lichtung.
We make the campfire on the clearing.
Accusative: intended location
🧗 Er klettert über die Felsen.
He climbs over the rocks.
Accusative: movement over
Genitive Prepositions
Genitive prepositions (Genitivpräpositionen) show relationships like possession, cause, or measure and require the noun to be in the genitive case. They are more formal and common in written German.
German Preposition
English Preposition
statt (anstatt)
instead of
trotz
despite
während
during
wegen
because of
innerhalb
inside of
außerhalb
outside of
German Example
English Translation
Note
🏕️ Während des Sturms blieb das Zelt geschützt.
During the storm, the tent stayed protected.
Time during
🌅 Trotz des späten Sonnenuntergangs gingen sie noch wandern.
Despite the late sunset, they went hiking.
Concession
🐾 Wegen des nassen Bodens zogen sie Gummistiefel an.
Because of the wet ground, they put on rubber boots.
Cause
🔦 Innerhalb des Waldes leuchteten ihre Taschenlampen.
Inside the forest, their flashlights shone.
Location inside
🗺️ Anstatt des geplanten Weges nahmen sie eine Abkürzung.
Instead of the planned route, they took a shortcut.
Alternative
Summary
Prepositions determine which case a noun takes and change the meaning of sentences, so learn them in context and pay attention to signal words. Accusative prepositions show direction, dative prepositions show location or recipient, two-way prepositions switch based on movement, and genitive prepositions express more formal relationships.
