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prepositions/accusative-prepositions.md

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+---
+title: "Accusative Prepositions - German for English SpeakersGerman for English Speakers"
+source: "https://germanforenglishspeakers.com/prepositions/accusative-prepositions"
+crawled: "2026-06-30"
+---
+
+# Accusative Prepositions - German for English SpeakersGerman for English Speakers
+
+# Accusative Prepositions
+
+**English  
+equivalent(s)**
+
+**Sample usage and notes**
+
+_betreffend\*_  
+(btrf.)
+
+concerning,  
+with reference to
+
+   
+_Ihre Anfrage **betreffend**…_  
+regarding your inquiry…  
+ 
+
+bis
+
+until
+
+ Zähle von 1 **bis** 10.  
+Count from 1 to 10.  
+ 
+
+by
+
+ **Bis** wann mussen wir fertig sein?  
+By when do we have to be finished?  
+ 
+
+durch
+
+through
+
+ Es bringt mich **durch** den Tag.  
+It gets me through the day.  
+ 
+
+by
+
+ **durch** einen Anwalt vertreten werden  
+to be represented by a lawyer  
+ 
+
+because of
+
+ **Durch** den Regen war das Picknick ein Fiasko.  
+Because of the rain, the picnic was a fiasco.  
+ 
+
+via
+
+ Ich habe es **durch** Freunde erfahren.  
+I found out through/from friends.  
+ 
+
+für
+
+for
+
+ eine Nachricht **für** dich  
+a message for you  
+ 
+
+entlang\*
+
+along(side)
+
+   
+\[accusative when postpositional…\]  
+den Strand **entlang** laufen  
+to walk along the beach  
+   
+\[…but usually genitive when prepositional\] die Häuser **entlang** der Straße  
+the houses along the street  
+ 
+
+gegen
+
+against
+
+   
+„Gegen die Wand” (movie title)  
+Against the Wall  
+   
+Alle sind gegen mich.  
+Everyone's against me.  
+   
+
+around/about \[a time\]  
+ 
+
+Gegen Mitternacht gingen wir ins Bett.  
+We went to bed around midnight.  
+ 
+
+ohne
+
+without
+
+   
+ohne Zweifel  
+without \[a\] doubt  
+   
+Ohne dich kann ich nicht leben.  
+I can't live without you.  
+ 
+
+um
+
+around
+
+   
+um den Block laufen  
+to walk around the block
+
+at \[a time\]
+
+Wir treffen uns um 14:00 Uhr.  
+We're meeting at 2 pm.  
+ 
+
+_wider_
+
+against
+
+   
+\[more idiomatic / literary than "gegen"\] wider meinen Willen  
+against my will  
+ 
+
+[Continue to next section >>](/prepositions/dative-prepositions.md "3. Dative Prepositions")

prepositions/contractions.md

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+---
+title: "Contractions - German for English SpeakersGerman for English Speakers"
+source: "https://germanforenglishspeakers.com/prepositions/contractions"
+crawled: "2026-06-30"
+---
+
+# Contractions - German for English SpeakersGerman for English Speakers
+
+# Contractions
+
+A few common preposition-article pairs are usually contracted, as follows:
+
+an dem > **am**
+
+hinter dem > **hinterm**
+
+unter dem > **unterm**
+
+an das > **ans**
+
+in das > **ins**
+
+von dem > **vom**
+
+auf das > **aufs**
+
+in dem > **im**
+
+vor das > **vors**
+
+bei dem > **beim**
+
+über das > **übers**
+
+vor dem > **vorm**
+
+durch das > **durchs**
+
+um das > **ums**
+
+zu dem > **zum**
+
+für das > **fürs**
+
+unter das > **unters**
+
+zu der > **zur**
+
+[Continue to next section >>](/other/adverbs.md)

prepositions/dative-prepositions.md

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+---
+title: "Dative Prepositions - German for English SpeakersGerman for English Speakers"
+source: "https://germanforenglishspeakers.com/prepositions/dative-prepositions"
+crawled: "2026-06-30"
+---
+
+# Dative Prepositions - German for English SpeakersGerman for English Speakers
+
+# Dative Prepositions
+
+ 
+
+**English  
+equivalent(s)**
+
+**Sample usage and notes**
+
+_ab_
+
+from  
+\[a point in time\]
+
+   
+ab dem ersten Schultag  
+from the first day of school  
+ 
+
+aus
+
+from  
+\[origin or source\]
+
+   
+Ich komme aus den USA.  
+I come from the US.  
+ 
+
+from (out of)
+
+   
+Tomaten aus der Dose  
+tomatoes out of the can  
+ 
+
+from (made of)
+
+  
+aus Metall  
+made from/of metal  
+ 
+
+außer
+
+except for, besides,  
+apart from
+
+   
+keiner außer mir  
+no one but me  
+ 
+
+out of
+
+   
+außer Kontrolle  
+out of control  
+  
+außer Betrieb  
+out of order  
+ 
+
+bei
+
+at
+
+   
+Wasser kocht bei hundert Grad.  
+Water boils at 100 degrees.  
+  
+bei der Arbeit  
+at work  
+ 
+
+with/at the house of
+
+   
+Ich bleibe bei dir  
+I’ll stay with you / at your place  
+ 
+
+_entgegen\*_
+
+towards
+
+   
+Sie lief mir entgegen.  
+She ran towards me.  
+ 
+
+contrary to, notwithstanding
+
+   
+Dem steht nichts entgegen.  
+There's nothing to stop it from happening.  
+  
+entgegen den Erwartungen...  
+contrary to expectations...  
+ 
+
+_entsprechend\*_
+
+considering, according to, corresponding to
+
+   
+den Umständen entsprechend...  
+considering the circumstances...  
+ 
+
+_gegenüber\*_
+
+across from
+
+   
+gegenüber der Strasse  
+across the street  
+ 
+
+to (a person)
+
+   
+Mir gegenüber hat er nichts darüber gesagt.  
+He didn’t say anything to me about it.  
+ 
+
+_gemäß\*_
+
+according to,  
+in accordance with  
+(often used legally)
+
+   
+gemäß Paragraf 27 des Strafgesetzbuches...  
+according to Paragraph 27 of the criminal law code...  
+  
+unseren Instinkten gemäß…  
+according to our instincts…  
+ 
+
+laut
+
+according to
+
+   
+laut dem Pressesprecher...  
+according to the press spokesman...  
+  
+\[can also be genitive (laut des Presseprechers)\]  
+ 
+
+mit
+
+with
+
+   
+Bier mit Cola  
+beer with cola (popular German drink)  
+ 
+
+over \[time\]
+
+   
+mit den Jahren  
+over the years  
+ 
+
+at \[an age\]
+
+   
+ein Kind mit 2 Jahren  
+a two year old child  
+ 
+
+_(mit)samt_
+
+including, together with
+
+   
+samt Familie  
+with one's whole family  
+  
+samt Gepäck  
+with all one's baggage  
+ 
+
+nach\*
+
+after
+
+   
+nach der Arbeit/Schule  
+after work/school  
+ 
+
+according to
+
+   
+nach meiner Meinung  
+\[or meiner Meinung nach\]  
+according to (in) my opinion  
+ 
+
+to
+
+   
+Ich fliege nach Deutschland  
+I’m flying to Germany  
+ 
+
+_nahe_
+
+near
+
+   
+nahe der Natur  
+close to nature  
+ 
+
+seit
+
+since \[point in time\]
+
+   
+seit September  
+since September  
+ 
+
+for \[time period\]
+
+   
+seit langer Zeit  
+for a long time  
+ 
+
+von
+
+from (immediate origin)
+
+   
+Ich komme von der Arbeit.  
+I'm coming from work.  
+ 
+
+of
+
+   
+die Königin von England  
+the Queen of England  
+ 
+
+by
+
+   
+von Hand gemacht  
+made by hand  
+ 
+
+zu
+
+to
+
+   
+Ich gehe zum Arzt.  
+I'm going to the doctor.  
+ 
+
+at
+
+   
+zu diesem Zeitpunkt  
+at this point in time  
+ 
+
+too (adverb)
+
+   
+zu groß  
+too big  
+ 
+
+ 
+
+[Continue to next section >>](/prepositions/two-way-prepositions.md)

prepositions/genitive-prepositions.md

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+---
+title: "Genitive Prepositions - German for English SpeakersGerman for English Speakers"
+source: "https://germanforenglishspeakers.com/prepositions/genitive-prepositions"
+crawled: "2026-06-30"
+---
+
+# Genitive Prepositions - German for English SpeakersGerman for English Speakers
+
+# Genitive Prepositions
+
+As mentioned in [Section II.4](/nouns/more-on-the-genitive-case.md "4. More on the Genitive Case"), the slow death of the genitive extends to prepositions. You may hear some of the following genitive prepositions used with the dative case instead. We've noted a few where the dative is especially common.
+
+ 
+
+**English  
+equivalent(s)**
+
+**Sample usage and notes**
+
+(an)statt
+
+instead of
+
+   
+Statt der erwarteten Beförderung bekam er die Kündigung.  
+Instead of the expected promotion, he was let go.  
+ 
+
+abzüglich
+
+less, minus
+
+   
+abzüglich der Unkosten...  
+after expenses...  
+ 
+
+angesichts
+
+in view of, given
+
+   
+Angesichts der Tatsache, dass…  
+In view of the fact that…  
+ 
+
+außerhalb
+
+outside of
+
+   
+außerhalb der Stadt  
+outside the city  
+ 
+
+_bar_
+
+devoid of, barring any
+
+   
+Bar jeder Vernunft  
+(famous cabaret in Berlin)  
+"against all reason"  
+ 
+
+bezüglich (bzgl.)
+
+concerning, regarding,  
+with respect to
+
+   
+bezüglich unseres Telefonats  
+regarding our phone conversation  
+   
+
+binnen
+
+within \[a time period\]
+
+   
+binnen einer Woche  
+within a/one week  
+ 
+
+dank
+
+thanks to
+
+   
+dank Ihrer Hilfe...  
+thanks to your help...  
+  
+\[also frequently used in the dative\]  
+ 
+
+einschließlich
+
+including
+
+   
+einschließlich aller Kosten  
+all expenses included  
+ 
+
+infolge
+
+due to, because of
+
+   
+infolge einer schweren Erkrankung  
+due to a serious illness  
+ 
+
+inmitten
+
+in the middle/midst of
+
+   
+inmitten der Menge  
+in the middle of the crowd  
+ 
+
+innerhalb
+
+inside of
+
+   
+innerhalb eines kleinen Kreises  
+within a small circle \[of people\]  
+ 
+
+_mangels_
+
+for lack of (esp. legal)
+
+   
+Das Verfahren war mangels Beweisen eingestellt.  
+The case was dismissed for lack of evidence.  
+ 
+
+mittels
+
+by means of (esp. technical)
+
+   
+mittels eines Schraubenziehers... \[assembly instructions\]  
+using a screwdriver...   
+ 
+
+_oberhalb_
+
+above, beyond
+
+  
+oberhalb des Gefrierpunktes  
+above the freezing point  
+ 
+
+_unbeschadet_
+
+notwithstanding
+
+   
+unbeschadet des zuvor Gesagten...  
+despite/notwithstanding what was just said...  
+  
+unbeschadet dessen, dass...  
+notwithstanding the fact that...  
+ 
+
+ungeachtet
+
+in spite of
+
+   
+Ungeachtet der Drohungen des Irans will Deutschland Sanktionen.  
+In spite of Iran's threats, Germany wants sanctions.  
+ 
+
+unterhalb
+
+below, underneath
+
+   
+unterhalb der Armutsgrenze  
+below the poverty line  
+ 
+
+unweit
+
+not far from
+
+   
+unweit des Hotels  
+not far from the hotel  
+ 
+
+_zugunsten_
+
+in favor of,  
+in the interests of
+
+   
+zugunsten meines Mandanten  
+\[note weak noun\]  
+in the interest of my client  
+ 
+
+trotz
+
+despite
+
+   
+trotz des schlechten Wetters \[GEN\]  
+trotz dem schlechten Wetter \[DAT\]  
+despite the bad weather  
+  
+\[Native speakers disagree about whether the correct usage of "trotz" is genitive or dative. This is partly a North/South thing and partly a function of how it sounds with different nouns. We had to put it somewhere, but you can absolutely use it either way.\]  
+ 
+
+während
+
+during
+
+   
+Während des Semesters gelten folgende Sprechstunden...  
+During the semester the following office hours apply...  
+ 
+
+wegen
+
+because of
+
+   
+wegen Krankheit geschlossen  
+closed due to illness  
+  
+\[Like "dank" and "trotz" this is very commonly used in the dative.\]  
+ 
+
+[Continue to next section >>](/prepositions/contractions.md)

prepositions/introduction-to-prepositions.md

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+---
+title: "Introduction to Prepositions - German for English SpeakersGerman for English Speakers"
+source: "https://germanforenglishspeakers.com/prepositions/introduction-to-prepositions"
+crawled: "2026-06-30"
+---
+
+# Introduction to Prepositions - German for English SpeakersGerman for English Speakers
+
+# Introduction to Prepositions
+
+In German, prepositions tell you which case to use for the following noun. You should never learn a preposition without learning the associated case.
+
+The following lists are meant to be as complete as possible, so they include some less-common prepositions that you may not find in textbooks. Rather than leave anything out, we’ve italicized these less important words so you don’t spend too much time on them. The genitive group in particular has many little-used members.
+
+Keep in mind that it’s almost impossible to translate prepositions exactly in any language, because they have so many idiomatic usages. Imagine trying to explain the word “up” to someone learning English in a way that accounts for phrases like “give up,” “screw up,” “put up with,” “put up a fight,” “what are you up to?” and so on. What you’ll find in this section are the most literal and/or common English equivalents, but they’re not exhaustive.
+
+A few terms marked with an asterisk can also be used _after_ the noun, as “postpositions.” For example, _wir liefen den Strand entlang_ (_we walked along the beach_) rather than _wir liefen entlang den Strand._ The line between postpositions and separable verb prefixes can be a little fuzzy – some German teachers would read that first sentence and see the verb _entlanglaufen_ with no preposition – but it’s often a distinction without a difference.
+
+When two or more prepositions are used together, the one closer to the noun trumps. For example, in _ab ins Bett mit dir_ ("off to bed with you"), the bed is in the accusative case from the “in” (ins = in das) rather than the dative case from “ab.”
+
+[Continue to next section >>](/prepositions/accusative-prepositions.md)

prepositions/two-way-prepositions.md

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+---
+title: "Two-Way Prepositions - German for English SpeakersGerman for English Speakers"
+source: "https://germanforenglishspeakers.com/prepositions/two-way-prepositions"
+crawled: "2026-06-30"
+---
+
+# Two-Way Prepositions - German for English SpeakersGerman for English Speakers
+
+# Two-Way Prepositions
+
+The following two-way prepositions are called _Wechselpräpositionen_ in German (from the verb _wechseln,_ to change). They’re accusative when they express motion/direction, and dative when they express only location:
+
+I put the book **on** the table.  
+                                  ACC
+
+The book is **on** the table.  
+                                DAT
+
+ 
+
+**English  
+equivalent(s)**
+
+**Sample usage and notes**
+
+an
+
+at, on
+
+   
+Setz dich an den Tisch. \[ACC\]  
+Sit down at the table.  
+  
+ein Bild an die Wand hängen \[ACC\]  
+to hang a picture on the wall  
+  
+Das Bild hängt an der Wand. \[DAT\]  
+The picture hangs (is hanging) on the wall.  
+ 
+
+auf
+
+on, up
+
+   
+auf den Berg steigen \[ACC\]  
+to climb up the mountain  
+  
+eine Vase auf den Tisch stellen \[ACC\]  
+to set a vase down on the table  
+  
+Die Vase steht auf dem Tisch. \[DAT\]  
+The vase is (standing) on the table.  
+ 
+
+  **_an_ vs. _auf_:** The word _auf_ implies a position on top of something;  
+_an_ is more like "beside" or suspended from.
+
+hinter
+
+behind
+
+   
+ein Blick hinter die Kulissen \[ACC\]  
+a glimpse behind the scenes  
+  
+Was passiert hinter den Kulissen? \[DAT\]  
+What's happening behind the scenes?  
+ 
+
+in
+
+into, to \[ACC\]  
+in \[DAT\]
+
+   
+Die Kinder gehen in die Schule. \[ACC\]  
+The kids are going to school.  
+  
+Was hast du in der Schule gelernt? \[DAT\]  
+What did you learn in school?  
+ 
+
+neben
+
+next to (_not_ just near)
+
+   
+Komm, setz dich neben mich. \[ACC\]  
+Come sit down next to me.  
+  
+Der Platz neben mir ist frei. \[DAT\]  
+The seat next to me is free.  
+ 
+
+über
+
+over, above  
+
+   
+Der Zug fuhr über die Brücke. \[ACC\]  
+The train went over the bridge.  
+  
+Die Sonne hing über dem Meer \[DAT\]  
+The sun hung over the sea.  
+ 
+
+about
+
+Wir redeten über den Film. \[ACC\]  
+We talked about the movie.  
+ 
+
+unter
+
+under, below  
+
+   
+Schau unters Bett vorm Schlafengehen \[ACC\]  
+Look under the bed before going to sleep.  
+  
+Ein Monster versteckt sich unterm Bett. \[DAT\]  
+A monster is hiding under the bed.
+
+among
+
+   
+ein Schaf unter Wölfen \[DAT\]  
+a sheep among wolves  
+  
+_unter anderem (u.a.)_ \[DAT\]  
+among other things / _inter alia_  
+ 
+
+vor
+
+in front of  
+  
+
+   
+_Ich stellte mich vors Mikro(fon)._ \[ACC\]  
+I went up to the microphone.  
+  
+_Der Tisch steht vor dem Fenster._ \[DAT\]  
+The table is in front of the window.
+
+of
+
+   
+_Angst vor Höhe_ \[DAT\]  
+fear of heights
+
+before
+
+   
+_Ich muss es vorm Wochenende machen_ \[DAT\]  
+I have to do it before the weekend.  
+ 
+
+zwischen
+
+between
+
+   
+_etwas zwischen die Finger bekommen_ \[ACC\]  
+to get a hold of something  
+(literally, between one's fingers)  
+  
+_zwischen den Jahren_ \[DAT\]  
+between the years  
+(German expression for the time between Christmas and New Year’s)  
+ 
+
+[Continue to next section >>](/prepositions/genitive-prepositions.md)