Understanding which case to use when talking about locations and destinations can be a game-changer in your German-learning journey.
Today we’re focusing on prepositions of location in German. So, let’s decipher the dative and accusative cases in German and unravel whether it’s a location or destination together!
The Coffee Break German Show is a podcast series of short, friendly conversations in which we discuss tricky topics for German language learners. In the latest episode, Thomas and Mark talk about locations and destinations in German, and which case to use with each.
Continue reading to find out more, and why not listen to the podcast as you go? Plus, don’t miss our free worksheet at the end to practise what you learn!
‘Wo’ or ‘wohin’?
First things first, let’s talk about the key distinction between wo, “where”, and wohin, “where to”. In English, we might not be accustomed to such a clear differentiation, but in German, it’s crucial. Here’s a quick comparison:
Wo bist du?
Where are you?
Here, we’re asking for a static location, which requires the dative case.
Wohin gehst du?
Where are you going?
In this case, we’re asking about movement or direction, which calls for the accusative case in German.
We’re going to be talking about the dative and accusative cases a lot in this article, so if you need a reminder of what cases are in German and how they work, you can read our introduction to German cases.
Location using the dative, or destination with the accusative?
Now, let’s focus on some examples.
Dein Schlüssel liegt auf dem Küchentisch.
Your key is on the kitchen table.
Here, we’re describing a static location, so we use the dative case in German with dem Küchentisch. Note that der changes to dem in the dative.
The clue’s in the question: ‘wo’ or ‘wohin’?
Consider the following sentence:
Ich lege die sauberen Klamotten auf das Bett.
I’m putting the clean clothes on the bed.
Since we’re indicating movement towards a destination (the bed), we use the accusative case with das Bett. This involves the question:
Wo legst du die sauberen Klamotten hin?
Where are you putting the clean clothes?
The suffix -hin at the end shows there is movement involved – a change of location – and therefore, the need for the accusative case.
Here’s another example to consider:
Die Rehe leben im Wald.
The deer live in the forest.
Again, we’re describing a static location (the forest), so we use the dative case with im Wald. And this involves the question word wo?
Wo leben die Rehe?
Where do the deer live?
Dative or accusative case in German?
In the following example, we’re indicating movement towards a destination (the burrow), so we use the accusative case in German with in seinen Bau.
Der Fuchs rennt in seinen Bau unter der Erde.
The fox is running into its burrow underground.
Unter der Erde is in the dative because that is the location of the burrow.
Let’s look at another example:
Wir treffen uns bei meinen Eltern.
We’re meeting at my parents’ house.
When we talk about meeting at a location, even if we are not there yet, we use the dative case with bei meinen Eltern.
Here’s another example:
Am Samstag gehen wir auf ein Konzert.
We’re going to a concert on Saturday.
Since we’re indicating movement towards a destination (the concert), we use the accusative case with auf ein Konzert.
There’s always an exception!
But wait, there are a couple of prepositions in German that require special attention!
Zu always takes the dative case in German, even when used in the context of a wohin question. For example:
Ich gehe zum Arzt.
I’m going to the doctor.
Wir fahren zu meinen Eltern.
We’re driving to my parents’ place.
Nach also always takes the dative case, although it’s typically used without an article, so it cannot be seen that it is in the dative case:
Er fliegt morgen nach Spanien.
He’s flying to Spain tomorrow.
Der Zug fährt nach Westen.
The train is heading west.
A visual summary of prepositions of location in German
So, there you have it – your guide to navigating prepositions of location in German! Understanding the nuances of cases and contexts will not only enhance your language skills, but also make you feel more confident in your German conversations.
If you found this interesting, make sure to listen to the full episode with Thomas and Mark on The Coffee Break German Show. We will regularly be uploading more episodes for German learners, so make sure to subscribe to our podcast feed and our channel on YouTube to find out when the next episode is available.
Plus! To get regular, free German lessons in your inbox, you can sign up for our short (coffee-break-sized) email lessons that will help you improve your German. You will also hear from Mark, the founder of Coffee Break Languages, giving advice for language learners at any level. Sign up below!
So give it a go – use what we’ve covered today and you’ll gain confidence with using the dative and accusative cases in German with no problems at all! And if you’d like to take this topic a stage further, find out the differences between in, an, auf, nach, and zu.
Bis bald and happy Coffee Breaking!
