GERMAN PREPOSITIONS
A preposition is a word that shows the relationship of a noun or a pronoun to some other word in the sentence. Some examples of prepositions in German are mit (with), durch (through), für (for), seit (since).The noun/pronoun which the preposition modifies will always be in either the accusative, dative or genitive case. Most prepositions are placed before the noun/pronoun that they modify, however, some are placed after.
PREPOSITIONAL CASES
There are three prepositional cases: accusative, dative, and genitive. There is also a group of prepositions that can take on either the accusative or dative case, depending on the meaning of the sentence.
Commonly used prepositions such as durch (through), für (for), um (around) always take on the accusative, whereas other common prepositions such as bei (by/next to), mit (with), von (from/of), zu (to/at) will always take the dative case.
The following chart can be used to find out whether a Preposition is Accusative, Dative, or Genitive (note this chart does not include all German prepositions):
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How Propositions effect the noun
How accusative, dative, and genitive prepositions effect Masculin, feminine, plural and neutral nouns can be found using the following chart:
(Simply follow the case row to the gender collum to find the article)
(Simply follow the case row to the gender collum to find the article)
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Here is an example of a sentence using a dative proposition:
Ich sitze bei dem Fluss. (I sit next to the river).
Bie is dative, Fluss is masculine, so der Fluss becomes dem Fluss.
And one using an accusative preposition:
Wegen des Wetter. (Because of the weather). Wegen is accusative, Wetter is Nuteral, so das Wetter becomes des Wetter.
So, the case of the preposition and the gender of the noun determines the article in front of the noun. However, if the article is not "the", e.g. if it is "ein" or "mein", different endings are used. The various endings can be found on this chart:
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For example:
Er arbeitet für eine große Firma. (He works for a big company.)
Für is accusative, Firma is Feminine, so ein becomes eine.
This works in the same way with mein (and other articles):
Er arbeitet für meine Firma. (He works for my company) .Mein becomes meine.
For example:
Wir fahren durch den Fluss. (We're driving through the River.)
Wir fahren durch den Fluss. (We're driving through the River.)
Durch is an accusative preposition, and Fluss (River), is a masculine noun. So, der Fluss becomes den Fluss.
Here is an example of a sentence using a dative proposition:
Ich sitze bei dem Fluss. (I sit next to the river).
Bie is dative, Fluss is masculine, so der Fluss becomes dem Fluss.
And one using an accusative preposition:
Wegen des Wetter. (Because of the weather). Wegen is accusative, Wetter is Nuteral, so das Wetter becomes des Wetter.
So, the case of the preposition and the gender of the noun determines the article in front of the noun. However, if the article is not "the", e.g. if it is "ein" or "mein", different endings are used. The various endings can be found on this chart:
For example:
Er arbeitet für eine große Firma. (He works for a big company.)
Für is accusative, Firma is Feminine, so ein becomes eine.
This works in the same way with mein (and other articles):
Er arbeitet für meine Firma. (He works for my company) .Mein becomes meine.
The rules for two way prepositions
Some prepositions are accusative and dative, they can be accusative or dative depending on the context of the sentence.The basic rule for determining whether a two-way preposition is accusative or dative is "motion versus location". If there is motion toward something or to a specific location, then usually the object is accusative. If there is no motion at all or random motion going nowhere in particular, then the object is usually dative.
For example:
Legen Sie das Buch auf den Tisch. (Put/Lay the book on the table.)
Legen Sie das Buch auf den Tisch. (Put/Lay the book on the table.)
The movement in this sentence is the book being placed on the table, so auf is accusative.
Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch. (The book's lying on the table.)
In this sentence, the book is not moving anywhere, so auf is dative.
Sources
1997, The German Handbook, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Easy Learning Verbs 2011, Third edn, HarperCollins Publishrs, London.
Above it says: "Wegen des Wetter. (Because of the weather). Wegen is accusative". Assumung it should say Wegen is genetive?
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