Prepositions in German
Learning prepositions in German involves understanding their meanings, usage, and the cases they govern. Here are some steps to effectively learn prepositions in German:
- Study Common Prepositions: Start by familiarizing yourself with common prepositions in German, such as “in” (in), “auf” (on), “an” (at/on), “mit” (with), “von” (from), “zu” (to), and so on. Make a list of frequently used prepositions and their English equivalents.
- Learn Preposition Meanings: Understand the meanings of prepositions in different contexts. Prepositions can have multiple meanings, so it’s important to grasp their various uses. Use German-English dictionaries or language resources to explore the nuances of prepositions and their translations.
- Identify Preposition Cases: German prepositions govern specific cases (accusative, dative, or genitive) depending on the context. Learn which cases are associated with each preposition. For example, “in” is usually followed by the accusative case when indicating motion, but the dative case when indicating location.
- Practice Preposition + Case Combinations: Combine prepositions with the appropriate cases to form grammatically correct phrases. Practice using prepositions with different cases, gendered nouns, and numbers to reinforce your understanding. For example, “in dem Haus” (in the house, dative case), “in das Haus” (into the house, accusative case).
- Memorize Preposition + Article Contractions: In German, certain prepositions contract with definite articles (der, die, das) in specific cases. For instance, “in dem” contracts to “im” (in the) in the dative case. Memorize these contractions to improve fluency and accuracy in your German writing and speech.
- Pay Attention to Verbs + Prepositions: Many verbs in German are used with specific prepositions. Learn these verb-preposition combinations to understand their meanings and how prepositions affect the cases of subsequent objects or pronouns. For example, “sich auf etwas freuen” (to look forward to something).
| Preposition | Example Phrase in German | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| in | in der Schule | in the school |
| auf | auf dem Tisch | on the table |
| an | an der Tür | at the door |
| mit | mit dem Auto | with the car |
| von | von meinem Freund | from my friend |
| zu | zu Hause | at home |
| über | über die Brücke | over the bridge |
| unter | unter dem Tisch | under the table |
| vor | vor dem Haus | in front of the house |
| nach | nach Deutschland | to Germany |
| bei | bei meinem Bruder | at my brother’s |
| seit | seit gestern | since yesterday |
| gegenüber | gegenüber dem Park | opposite the park |
| neben | neben dem Supermarkt | next to the supermarket |
| durch | durch den Wald | through the forest |
| hinter | hinter dem Haus | behind the house |
| um | um 8 Uhr | at 8 o’clock |
| zwischen | zwischen den Bäumen | between the trees |
| entlang | entlang des Flusses | along the river |
| bis | bis zum Ende | until the end |
These are just a selection of common prepositional phrases in German. Remember that the cases used with prepositions can vary depending on the context, so it’s important to study the appropriate case for each preposition.
