How do I know if a preposition takes accusative or dative?

You need to memorise which prepositions are always accusative (durch, für, gegen, ohne, um) and which are always dative (aus, bei, mit, nach, seit, von, zu). For two-way prepositions (in, an, auf, etc.), ask yourself: does the sentence describe movement from one place to another (accusative) or a static location (dative)? For example, 'Ich gehe in die Schule' (movement – accusative) vs. 'Ich bin in der Schule' (location – dative).

What's the difference between 'nach' and 'zu'?

'Nach' is used for countries, cities, and directions without an article (e.g., 'nach Hause', 'nach Berlin', 'nach links'). 'Zu' is used for people, buildings, or places with an article (e.g., 'zum Arzt', 'zur Schule', 'zum Bahnhof'). Also, 'zu' can mean 'too' (e.g., 'zu viel'), so context matters.

When do I use 'im', 'am', 'um' for time?

'Um' is for specific clock times (e.g., 'um 7 Uhr'). 'Am' is for days, dates, and parts of the day (e.g., 'am Montag', 'am 3. Mai', 'am Abend'). 'Im' is for months, seasons, and years (e.g., 'im Januar', 'im Sommer', 'im Jahr 2020'). Note: 'in der Nacht' uses 'in' + dative, not 'am'.

How do I use 'in' with countries?

Most countries are neuter and don't take an article, so you use 'in' + dative (e.g., 'in Deutschland'). But some countries are feminine (die Schweiz, die Türkei) or plural (die USA), so you use 'in der' or 'in den' respectively (e.g., 'in der Schweiz', 'in den USA'). For movement, use 'in' + accusative (e.g., 'Ich fahre in die Schweiz').

What are common contractions with prepositions?

Common contractions include: 'in + dem = im', 'in + das = ins', 'an + dem = am', 'an + das = ans', 'auf + das = aufs', 'bei + dem = beim', 'von + dem = vom', 'zu + dem = zum', 'zu + der = zur'. Use them in informal writing and speech, but avoid them in formal contexts if unsure.

How do prepositions affect adjective endings?

After prepositions, adjectives take endings based on the case the preposition requires. For example, after 'mit' (dative), you write 'mit einem großen Hund' (with a big dog). After 'für' (accusative), you write 'für einen großen Hund'. You need to know the case and then apply the correct adjective ending (e.g., strong or weak declension).

Grammar (Foundation): Prepositions

AQA

GCSE

The Foundation Tier grammar requirement for prepositions covers the use of prepositions that take a fixed case, those that are dual case (taking accusative and/or dative depending on the context), and a receptive knowledge of prepositions that take the genitive case.

Objectives

Exam Tips

Pitfalls

Key Terms

Mark Points

Topic Overview

Prepositions are small but mighty words that link nouns, pronouns, or phrases to other parts of a sentence. In German, they are crucial for expressing location, time, direction, and relationships. For example, 'in' (in), 'auf' (on), 'mit' (with), and 'nach' (after/to) are common prepositions. Mastering them is essential for constructing accurate and natural-sounding sentences, whether you're describing where you live ('Ich wohne in Berlin'), when an event happens ('um 8 Uhr'), or how you travel ('mit dem Bus').

In the AQA GCSE German Foundation syllabus, prepositions are divided into those that take the accusative case (e.g., 'durch', 'für', 'gegen', 'ohne', 'um'), those that take the dative case (e.g., 'aus', 'bei', 'mit', 'nach', 'seit', 'von', 'zu'), and those that can take either accusative or dative depending on meaning (e.g., 'in', 'auf', 'unter', 'neben', 'zwischen'). Understanding which case follows a preposition is vital because it affects the articles and adjective endings. This topic builds on your knowledge of cases and articles, and it's a stepping stone to more complex sentence structures.

Why does this matter? Prepositions are everywhere in everyday German. Without them, you can't say where you're going, what you're doing with someone, or when something happens. In exams, preposition errors are common and can cost marks. By learning the patterns and practising with real-life contexts, you'll improve both your writing and speaking accuracy. This topic also connects to other grammar areas like verbs with prepositions (e.g., 'sich freuen auf' – to look forward to) and time expressions.

Key Concepts

Core ideas you must understand for this topic

→Accusative prepositions: 'durch', 'für', 'gegen', 'ohne', 'um' always take the accusative case. Example: 'Ich gehe durch den Park.' (through the park – 'den' is accusative masculine).
→Dative prepositions: 'aus', 'bei', 'mit', 'nach', 'seit', 'von', 'zu' always take the dative case. Example: 'Ich fahre mit dem Bus.' (with the bus – 'dem' is dative masculine/neuter).
→Two-way prepositions (Wechselpräpositionen): 'in', 'an', 'auf', 'hinter', 'neben', 'über', 'unter', 'vor', 'zwischen' take accusative for movement (direction) and dative for location (position). Example: 'Ich lege das Buch auf den Tisch.' (movement – accusative) vs. 'Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch.' (location – dative).
→Contractions: Some prepositions combine with articles to form single words, e.g., 'in + dem = im', 'in + das = ins', 'an + dem = am', 'auf + das = aufs'. These are common in spoken and written German.
→Prepositions with time: 'um' for specific times ('um 8 Uhr'), 'am' for days/dates ('am Montag'), 'im' for months/seasons ('im Sommer'), 'seit' for 'since' or 'for' (with present tense).

What You Need to Demonstrate

Key skills and knowledge for this topic

Correct selection of preposition based on the required case (accusative or dative).
Correct application of the case system following the preposition.
Understanding of dual-case prepositions (e.g., an, auf, hinter, neben, in, über, unter, vor, zwischen) in static (dative) vs. dynamic (accusative) contexts.
Correct use of fixed-case prepositions (e.g., aus, bei, mit, nach, seit, von, zu taking dative; durch, für, gegen, ohne, um taking accusative).

Marking Points

Key points examiners look for in your answers

Correct selection of preposition based on the required case (accusative or dative).
Correct application of the case system following the preposition.
Understanding of dual-case prepositions (e.g., an, auf, hinter, neben, in, über, unter, vor, zwischen) in static (dative) vs. dynamic (accusative) contexts.
Correct use of fixed-case prepositions (e.g., aus, bei, mit, nach, seit, von, zu taking dative; durch, für, gegen, ohne, um taking accusative).

Examiner Tips

Expert advice for maximising your marks

💡Memorize the list of prepositions that always take the dative and those that always take the accusative.
💡For dual-case prepositions, ask yourself if there is movement towards a destination (accusative) or if the location is static (dative).
💡Use the vocabulary lists provided in the specification to identify common prepositions and their English equivalents.
💡Practice identifying the case required by the preposition in reading texts to build familiarity.
💡Learn prepositions in groups (accusative, dative, two-way) and practise with flashcards. In the exam, if you're unsure about the case, check if the preposition is in your memorised list. For two-way prepositions, always decide if the sentence describes movement or location.
💡Use contractions where natural – they sound more authentic and save time. For example, write 'im' instead of 'in dem' when possible. But be careful: 'in dem' is correct if 'dem' is a relative pronoun (e.g., 'in dem Haus, das...').
💡When writing, double-check prepositions after verbs. Some verbs require specific prepositions (e.g., 'sich interessieren für' – to be interested in). These are often tested in translation tasks. Keep a list of verb-preposition combinations.

Common Mistakes

Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

Confusing the dative and accusative cases after dual-case prepositions.
Incorrectly applying the genitive case when only receptive knowledge is required.
Misusing prepositions that look similar to English but function differently in German.
Failing to contract prepositions with articles where appropriate (e.g., 'im' for 'in dem', 'zum' for 'zu dem').
Mixing up 'in' and 'nach' for destinations: 'nach' is used for countries/cities without articles (e.g., 'nach Deutschland'), but 'in' is used for places with articles (e.g., 'in die Schweiz'). Also, 'zu' is used for people or buildings (e.g., 'zum Arzt').
Forgetting case changes with two-way prepositions: Students often use the dative for movement or accusative for location. Remember: if there's a change of position (movement), use accusative; if it's static (location), use dative. Ask 'Wohin?' (where to?) for accusative and 'Wo?' (where?) for dative.
Using the wrong article after prepositions: For example, 'mit' always takes dative, so 'mit der Freundin' (not 'die Freundin'). Practice with a table of definite articles: der (nom), den (acc), dem (dat); die (nom/acc), der (dat); das (nom/acc), dem (dat).

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions students ask about this topic

Before You Start

Prior knowledge that will help with this topic

•German cases (nominative, accusative, dative) and definite/indefinite articles (der, die, das; ein, eine).
•Basic sentence structure (subject-verb-object) and word order.
•Common nouns and their genders – you need to know if a noun is masculine, feminine, or neuter to choose the correct article after a preposition.

Key Terminology

Essential terms to know

Daily routine and time management - using temporal prepositions like 'nach', 'vor', and 'um' to sequence events and schedule activities
Travel and tourism - employing modal and spatial prepositions such as 'mit', 'nach', and 'in' to describe journeys, destinations, and modes of transport
Personal interests and intentions - utilizing 'für' and infinitive constructions like 'um... zu' to explain reasons for hobbies and future career plans

Likely Command Words

How questions on this topic are typically asked

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Grammar (Foundation): Prepositions

Topic Overview

Key Concepts

What You Need to Demonstrate

Marking Points

Examiner Tips

Common Mistakes

Frequently Asked Questions

Before You Start

Key Terminology

Likely Command Words

Ready to test yourself?

Related Topics in AQA GCSE German

Communication strategies

Communication strategies: Strategies for production

Communication strategies: Strategies for understanding

General vocabulary: Access

How to Revise Grammar (Foundation): Prepositions — AQA GCSE German

Examiner Tips for Grammar (Foundation): Prepositions

Common Mistakes in Grammar (Foundation): Prepositions

Key Marking Points

Grammar (Foundation): Prepositions

Topic Overview

Key Concepts

What You Need to Demonstrate

Marking Points

Examiner Tips

Common Mistakes

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if a preposition takes accusative or dative?

What's the difference between 'nach' and 'zu'?

When do I use 'im', 'am', 'um' for time?

How do I use 'in' with countries?

What are common contractions with prepositions?

How do prepositions affect adjective endings?

Before You Start

Key Terminology

Likely Command Words

Ready to test yourself?

Related Topics in AQA GCSE German

Communication strategies

Communication strategies: Strategies for production

Communication strategies: Strategies for understanding

General vocabulary: Access