Other cases and prepositions (Edexcel GCSE German): Revision Notes
Other cases and prepositions
German has four grammatical cases that show the role of nouns in sentences. You already know about the nominative case (for subjects) and accusative case (for direct objects). There are two additional cases you need to master: the dative and genitive cases.
The four German grammatical cases each serve specific functions:
- Nominative: subjects of sentences
- Accusative: direct objects
- Dative: indirect objects
- Genitive: possession and relationships
The dative case
The dative case is used to show the indirect object in a sentence - this answers the question "to whom?" or "for whom?" something is done.
Key usage: Use the dative case when you want to say "to someone" or "for someone".
Worked Example: Dative Case in Action
- Ich gebe das Buch meinem Freund. (I give the book to my friend.)
- Ich gebe meinem Freund das Buch. (I give my friend the book.)
Notice how meinem Freund (to my friend) is in the dative case in both sentence structures.
Some German verbs automatically require the dative case. For example:
- geben (to give)
- helfen (to help)
- erklären (to explain)
Ich habe meiner Mutter geholfen. (I helped my mother.)
The genitive case
The genitive case expresses possession or belonging. It's equivalent to using "'s" or "of" in English.
Key usage: Use the genitive case to show that something belongs to someone or to express relationships.
Worked Example: Genitive Case for Possession
Ich gebe meiner Freundin das Buch meiner Mutter. (I give my girlfriend my mother's book.)
Here, meiner Mutter shows possession - whose book it is.
The genitive case mainly appears in Higher Level Listening and Reading papers at GCSE level.
Article changes in different cases
Understanding how articles change across different cases is essential for accurate German. Study these tables carefully:
Definite articles (the)
| 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 |
Indefinite articles (a/an)
| Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | ein | eine | ein | keine |
| Accusative | einen | eine | ein | keine |
| Dative | einem | einer | einem | keinen |
| Genitive | eines | einer | eines | keiner |
Memory tip: In the dative case, masculine and neuter articles both end in -m (dem, einem). The dative plural always adds -n to the article (den, keinen).
Prepositions
Prepositions are small words that come before nouns or pronouns and show relationships like location, time, or direction. Each preposition requires a specific grammatical case.
Prepositions with the accusative case
These prepositions always require the accusative case:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| für | for |
| um | around |
| durch | through |
| gegen | against |
| entlang | along |
| bis | until/as far as |
| ohne | without |
Memory trick: Remember FUDGEBO - the first letters of all accusative prepositions!
- Für, Um, Durch, Gegen, Entlang, Bis, Ohne
Worked Examples: Accusative Prepositions
- durch die Stadt (through the town)
- für meinen Freund (for my friend)
Notice how the articles change to accusative forms: die Stadt (feminine, no change) and meinen Freund (masculine accusative).
Prepositions with the dative case
These prepositions always require the dative case:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| aus | out of |
| außer | except |
| bei | at/at the house of |
| gegenüber | opposite |
| mit | with/by (transport) |
| nach | after/to (countries) |
| seit | since |
| von | from |
| zu | to |
Worked Examples: Dative Prepositions
- aus dem Haus (out of the house)
- nach der Schule (after school)
- mit dem Bus (by bus)
- Er hat sich beim Fußballspielen verletzt. (He got injured playing football.)
Notice the dative article forms: dem Haus, der Schule, dem Bus.
bei dem often shortens to beim in everyday German.
Prepositions with the genitive case
These prepositions require the genitive case:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| trotz | in spite of/despite |
| während | during |
| wegen | because of |
Worked Example: Genitive Preposition
während der Ferien (during the holidays)
Here, der Ferien shows the genitive plural form.
Some prepositions can take either the accusative or dative case depending on whether they show movement (accusative) or position (dative). You'll find more about these on page 98 of your textbook.
Practice makes perfect
To master cases and prepositions, you need consistent practice identifying:
- Which case each preposition requires
- How articles change in different cases
- Whether a sentence shows movement (accusative) or position (dative)
Try completing sentences with the correct article forms and pay attention to which prepositions trigger which cases.
Key Points to Remember:
- The dative case is for indirect objects - answering "to whom?" or "for whom?"
- The genitive case shows possession and belonging - like "'s" or "of" in English
- FUDGEBO helps you remember all the accusative prepositions
- Different cases require different article endings - practise these tables regularly
- Each preposition has a specific case it must be used with - learn these combinations by heart