Grammar: Prepositions

Understanding Prepositions

Prepositions are words that link elements of a sentence together. They often represent location, direction, or time.
In German, prepositions play a crucial role in sentence structure, as they determine the case of the following noun or pronoun.
Common German prepositions include in (in), auf (on), unter (under), über (over), neben (next to), zwischen (between), von (from/of), mit (with), zu (to), für (for), and bei (at).

Using Prepositions in Sentences

The sentence “Ich gehe in die Schule” (I go to school) uses the preposition ‘in’ to indicate direction.
The phrase “Ich wohne bei meiner Oma” (I live with my grandma) uses ‘bei’ to express the state of being with someone.
The sentence “Ich habe ein Geschenk für dich” (I have a gift for you), uses ‘für’ to indicate the recipient of the gift.

Prepositions and Cases

German prepositions dictate whether the following noun or pronoun should be in the accusative, dative or genitive case.
For example, the prepositions durch (through), für (for), gegen (against), ohne (without), um (around) always require the accusative case.
aus (from/out of), bei (at), mit (with), nach (after), seit (since), von (from/of), zu (to) require the dative case.
The genitive case is less common in everyday language, but it’s used with prepositions like während (during), wegen (because of), and trotz (despite).

Common Errors to Avoid

Remember that prepositions govern the cases of nouns and pronouns in a sentence. Accidentally using an accusative case where a dative case is required can change the meaning of the sentence.
Avoid using the wrong preposition for a certain context. Many prepositions can be translated in different ways, depending on the context, so always double-check.
Practise translating sentences to and from German to better understand the use of prepositions and the associated cases.