Verb + Preposition Patterns
In German, many verbs are followed by specific prepositions that determine the meaning and case of the noun or pronoun that comes after. Learning these patterns helps you express thoughts precisely.
Key Verbs
Key verbs set the tone for commonly needed prepositional phrases in everyday German. Focus on a handful to start forming natural sentences. Each example uses a typical preposition and indicates the required case.
Verbs for Dativ
Verbs that govern the Dativ often relate to giving, helping, or responding. When a verb requires Dativ, the noun or pronoun after the preposition appears in the dative case, which affects the article and endings.
Examples
| German Example | English Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 🌸 Ich vertraue dir. | I trust you. | Verb + dative pronoun |
| 🚲 Er hilft seiner Schwester. | He helps his sister. | Person in dative |
| 🏠 Wir wohnen bei Freunden. | We live with friends. | Location with dative |
| ✉️ Sie schreibt dem Lehrer. | She writes to the teacher. | Indirect object |
| ☕ Ich danke dir für den Kaffee. | Thank you for the coffee. | with accusative after dank |
Verbs for Akkusativ
Verbs that take Akkusativ after a preposition typically involve movement, change, or attention toward something. When the preposition demands Akkusativ, the following noun shows accusative case forms.
Examples
| German Example | English Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 🍎 Ich kaufe einen Apfel. | I am buying an apple. | Direct object in accusative |
| 🎟️ Sie hat das Ticket gesehen. | She saw the ticket. | Accusative with sehen |
| 🧳 Er packt den Koffer. | He is packing the suitcase. | Accusative object |
| 📚 Wir lesen das Buch. | We are reading the book. | Accusative after lesen |
| 🧴 Ich nehme die Flasche mit. | I am taking the bottle along. | Separable prefix with accusative |
Verbs for Genitiv
Genitiv after verbs and prepositions is less common but still appears in more formal or precise language. It shows possession or a close relationship between things. Some prepositions always require Genitiv, and certain verbs trigger it when followed by a noun phrase.
Examples
| German Example | English Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 🕰️ Während des Konzerts regnete es. | It rained during the concert. | Genitive time phrase |
| 🧑🎤 Das Outfit des Sängers war bunt. | The singer’s outfit was colorful. | Possession in genitive |
| 🚧 Wegen des Staus kamen wir spät. | Because of the traffic jam, we arrived late. | Cause with genitive |
| 📢 Trotz des Lärms hörte man die Musik. | Despite the noise, the music could be heard. | Concession phrase |
| 🗺️ Innerhalb des Parks gab es viele Stände. | Within the park there were many stalls. | Genitive location |
Verbs for Two-Way Prepositions
Some prepositions (an, auf, hinter, in, neben, über, unter, vor, zwischen) can take either Dativ or Akkusativ depending on whether they describe a location (Dativ) or a direction/movement (Akkusativ). The governing verb often clues you in on which case to use.
Examples
| German Example | English Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 🏖️ Wir gehen an den Strand. | We are going to the beach. | Accusative destination |
| 🏕️ Sie schläft in einem Zelt. | She sleeps in a tent. | Dative location |
| 🚶 Er läuft über die Brücke. | He walks over the bridge. | Accusative movement |
| 🛶 Wir fahren auf dem See. | We are sailing on the lake. | Dative position |
| 🚪 Sie stellt den Stuhl neben die Tür. | She places the chair next to the door. | Accusative change of place |
Summary
Verb + preposition patterns in German determine meaning and case. Learn key verbs with their prepositions and practice whether the noun that follows takes Dativ, Akkusativ, or occasionally Genitiv. Two-way prepositions require you to think about movement versus location.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025