Prepositions & Case (Wechselpräpositionen)
Every German preposition forces a particular case on the noun that follows it. Some always take the accusative, some always the dative, a few the genitive — and nine special two-way (Wechsel-) prepositions take the accusative for movement toward a place (wohin?) but the dative for a fixed location (wo?). The case is not optional; it is part of the preposition.
Measured in spoken German
Two-way prepositions (in/auf/an…) take dative ≈66% of the time (location) and accusative the rest (motion).
Always accusative
These prepositions always take the accusative. A common mnemonic is FUDGO: für, um, durch, gegen, ohne (plus bis, entlang).
Das Geschenk ist für dich.
The present is for you.
Wir gehen durch den Park.
We walk through the park.
den Park = masc. accusative.
Ich habe nichts gegen ihn.
I have nothing against him.
Always dative
These always take the dative: mit, bei, nach, aus, zu, von, seit (plus außer, gegenüber). Note nach and zu both often mean "to"; seit means "since/for" in time.
Ich fahre mit dem Bus.
I go by bus.
dem Bus = masc. dative.
Sie kommt aus der Schweiz.
She comes from Switzerland.
Wir wohnen seit einem Jahr hier.
We have lived here for a year.
Genitive prepositions
These take the genitive: wegen (because of), während (during), trotz (in spite of), (an)statt (instead of). In casual speech many Germans use the dative with these, but standard written German keeps the genitive.
Wegen des Wetters bleiben wir zu Hause.
Because of the weather we're staying home.
des Wetters = genitive.
Während der Woche arbeite ich.
During the week I work.
Two-way (Wechsel-) prepositions: the key rule
Nine prepositions switch case by meaning: in, an, auf, über, unter, vor, hinter, neben, zwischen. Use the accusative when there is movement to a new location (question: wohin? — where to?). Use the dative when it describes a static position (question: wo? — where?).
| Meaning | Accusative — wohin? (movement) | Dative — wo? (location) |
|---|---|---|
| in | Ich gehe in die Küche. | Ich bin in der Küche. |
| auf | Ich lege das Buch auf den Tisch. | Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch. |
| an | Er hängt das Bild an die Wand. | Das Bild hängt an der Wand. |
Examples
Ich warte auf den Bus.
I'm waiting for the bus.
Fixed verb+preposition (warten auf) → accusative.
Die Katze sitzt unter dem Tisch.
The cat is sitting under the table.
wo? → dative.
Die Katze läuft unter den Tisch.
The cat runs under the table.
wohin? → accusative.
Wir fahren nach Italien.
We are travelling to Italy.
nach for countries/cities → dative.
| Accusative | Dative | Genitive | Two-way |
|---|---|---|---|
| für, um, durch, gegen, ohne, bis | mit, bei, nach, aus, zu, von, seit | wegen, während, trotz, (an)statt | in, an, auf, über, unter, vor, hinter, neben, zwischen |
Common mistakes
- Guessing the case of a two-way preposition. Ask **wohin? → accusative** (movement) vs. **wo? → dative** (location): *in **die** Küche gehen** but **in **der** Küche sein*.
- Treating **nach**, **bei**, or **seit** as accusative — they are **always dative**: **mit dem Auto**, **bei meiner Freundin**, **seit einem Jahr**.
- Forgetting that the case belongs to the preposition, not the verb: *für **dich*** (acc.), never **für dir**.
Lookup tips
- Learn each preposition **together with its case** as a single chunk, the way you learn a noun with its article.
- For the nine two-way prepositions, run the wohin/wo test: is something **changing location** (acc.) or **already there** (dat.)?
- Verbs that lock a preposition (warten **auf**, denken **an**, sich freuen **auf/über**) fix the case too — memorize the verb+preposition+case as a unit.
Frequently asked questions
How do I remember the two-way case rule?
Movement toward a destination = **accusative** (**wohin?**); staying/being in a place = **dative** (**wo?**). *Ich hänge das Bild an **die** Wand** (I put it there — acc.) vs. **Das Bild hängt an **der** Wand* (it hangs there — dat.).
What are the contractions like "im" and "zum"?
Common preposition + article pairs fuse: **in dem → im**, **in das → ins**, **an dem → am**, **zu dem → zum**, **zu der → zur**, **bei dem → beim**, **von dem → vom**. They're standard and preferred in most contexts.
Is it true genitive prepositions are being replaced by dative?
In everyday speech, yes — many speakers say **wegen dem Wetter**. But standard and written German still uses the genitive (**wegen des Wetters**), so that's what to learn and produce.