German grammar
German cases explained
Cases look scary but follow a pattern. Most of what you need comes down to one table and four jobs.
- Free forever plan
- No card needed
- 77 languages
Updated · by the 4ToSpeak team
German · lesson preview
Step 4Wie spät ist es?
What time is it?
- Order
- Translate
- Listen
- Speak
Say it out loud. Green landed, yellow was close.
Start freeThe four jobs
- Nominative, the subject: Der Mann kommt.
- Accusative, the direct object: Ich sehe den Mann.
- Dative, the indirect object: Ich gebe dem Mann das Buch.
- Genitive, possession: Das ist das Auto des Mannes.
Prepositions decide the case
- Always accusative: für, durch, gegen, ohne, um.
- Always dative: mit, nach, bei, von, zu, aus, seit.
- Two-way (an, auf, in, über, unter, vor, hinter, neben, zwischen): accusative for movement toward, dative for position. Ich gehe in die Stadt (accusative), Ich bin in der Stadt (dative).
Where to start
The biggest changes happen in the masculine article. Nominative der becomes den in the accusative and dem in the dative. Feminine and neuter change much less, which makes the early cases easier than they look.
At a glance
| Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der | die | das | die |
| Accusative | den | die | das | die |
| Dative | dem | der | dem | den |
| Genitive | des | der | des | der |
Examples you can play
| Meaning · why | German |
|---|---|
| The man sees the dog. · der: subject; den: direct object | Der Mann sieht den Hund. |
| I give the child an apple. · dem: indirect object | Ich gebe dem Kind einen Apfel. |
| That is the man's car. · des: genitive possession | Das ist das Auto des Mannes. |
| I go to the cinema with the friend. · mit takes the dative | Ich gehe mit dem Freund ins Kino. |
| The gift is for the woman. · für takes the accusative | Das Geschenk ist für die Frau. |
| I am in the city. · in with position: dative | Ich bin in der Stadt. |
| I am going into the city. · in with movement: accusative | Ich gehe in die Stadt. |
Mistakes to avoid
- Using the nominative everywhere. After a preposition or a verb with an object, the article changes.
- Forgetting that dative plural nouns add an n: mit den Kindern.
- Mixing up in der Stadt and in die Stadt. Position takes the dative; movement takes the accusative.
More on learning German: start German free.
Which case should I learn first?
Nominative and accusative cover most simple sentences. Add dative next, then genitive, which is used less in speech.
Is the genitive still used?
In writing and formal speech, yes. In everyday talk, Germans often use von plus the dative instead: das Auto von dem Mann.
Related guides
More German grammar and guides
Grammar
German word order: the verb rules
In a German main clause the conjugated verb is always in second position.
Read morePlan it
How long does it take to learn German?
Hours, weeks and a daily plan for English speakers.
Read moreChoose
Best way to learn German speaking
What to look for in an app, and where 4ToSpeak fits.
Read moreVocabulary
How many words to speak German
Milestones from 100 to 3,000 words.
Read more
Free · no card · 77 languages
Practise it in German sentences
A rule sticks when you say it in real sentences. Build each one, say it out loud, and get feedback. Free, no card.