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German Prepositions taking the Accusative Case

By Vaikundamoni / October 12, 2016

Spoken German Classes

German Prepositions taking the Accusative Case

In German, prepositions can be followed by different cases. An accusative preposition will always be followed by an object (a noun or pronoun) in the accusative case. There are two kinds of accusative prepositions: (1) those that are always accusative and never anything else, and (2) certain “two-way” prepositions that can be either accusative or dative, depending on how they are used. See the chart below for a complete list of each type. Luckily, there are only five accusative prepositions you need to learn and memorize. Another thing that makes this group of prepositions easier is the fact that only the masculine gender (der) changes in the accusative case. Neither the plural nor the feminine (die) and neuter (das) genders change in the accusative. In the German-English examples below, the accusative preposition is bolded. The object of the preposition is italicized:
  • Without  money  it could not . | Without  money  it will not work.
  • She goes  the river  along. |  She is walking  along  the river.
  • He works  for  a big company . |  He works  for  a big company .
  • We drive  through  the city . |  We’re driving  through  the city .
  • Do you write a letter  to  your father? |  Are you writing a letter  to  your father ?
Notice in the second example above that the object (Fluss) comes before the preposition (entlang). Some German prepositions use this reverse word order, but the object must still be in the correct case. Here is a list of the accusative-only prepositions and their English translations. The most commonly used are italicized.
Accusative Prepositions
Deutsch English
up * until, to, by
by through, by
along along, down
NOTE: The accusative preposition entlang, unlike the others, usually goes after its object, as in the example above.
For for
against against, for
without without
one around, for; at (time)
*NOTE: The German preposition bis is technically an accusative preposition, but it is almost always used with a second preposition (bis zu, bis auf, etc.) in a different case, or without an article (bis April, bis Montag, bis Bonn).
German Language
Two-Way Prepositions Accusative/Dative
NOTE: The meaning of a two-way preposition often depends on whether it is used with the accusative or dative case. See below for the grammar rules.
Deutsch Englisch
an at, on, to
auf at, to, on, upon
hinter behind
in in, into
neben beside, near, next to
über about, above, across, over
unter under, among
vor in front of, before; ago (time)
zwischen between
The basic rule for determining whether a two-way preposition should have an object in the accusative or dative case is motion versus location. If there is motion towards something or to a specific location (wohin?, where to?), then usually the object is accusative. If there is no motion at all or random motion going nowhere in particular (wo?, where (at)?), then that is usually dative. This rule applies only to the so-called “two-way” or “dual” prepositions in German. (For example, a dative-only preposition like nach is always dative, whether there is motion or not.) Here are two sets of examples showing motion versus location:
  • Wir gehen ins Kino. (in das, accus.) | We’re going to the movies/cinema. (motion towards)
  • We are  in the cinema.  ( Where, dat. ) | We’re  at the movies / cinema . (location)
  • Put the book  on the table.  ( Accusative ) | Put / Lay the book on the table. (motion towards)
  • The book is  on the table.  ( Dative ) | The book’s lying  on the table. (Location)
Accusative Prepositions
prepositions Examples  – Examples
by  through, by by the city  through the city through the forest  through the forest by the wind  (Caused) by the wind
along  along, down the road  down the street along the river  along the river Walk along this road.  Go down this path.
NOTE: Remember, entlang usually goes follows its object, as above.
for  for for the book  for the book for him  for him for me  for me
compared  against, for against all expectations  against all expectations against the wall  against the wall against headache  (medicine) for a headache against me  against me
without  without without the car  without the car without him  him without without me  without me (count me out)
um around, for, at the lake  around the lake to a spot  (apply) for a job he is applying for a job.  He’s applying for a position. At ten o’clock  at ten o’clock
PERSONAL PRONOUNS in the ACCUSATIVE
NOMINATIVE ACCUSATIVE
them  I mich me
du you (fam.) you  you
er he sie she es it him  him they  ago it  it
we  we us  us
her  you (guys) you  you (guys)
they  they they  them
You  you (formal) You  you (formal)
da- Compounds
All of the accusative prepositions except “entlang,” “ohne” and “bis” form what are called “da-compounds” to express what would be a prepositional phrase in English. Da-compounds are not used for people (personal pronouns). Prepositions beginning with a vowel add a connecting r. See the examples below.
THING PERSON
dadurch through it, by it by him / her  through him / her
it  for it for him / her  for him / her
hand  against it against him / her  against him / her
therefore  for that reason around him / her  around him / her
A single German two-way preposition—such as in or auf—may have more than one English translation, as you can see above. In addition, you’ll find many of these prepositions have yet another meaning in common everyday idioms and expressions: auf dem Lande (in the country), um drei Uhr (at three o’clock), unter uns (among us), am Mittwoch (on Wednesday), vor einer Woche (a week ago), etc. Such expressions can be learned as vocabulary without worrying about the grammar involved.  
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