Deciphering Case

Nominative = Subject First, look for the subject of the sentence. The subject is usually the very first part of the sentence. The sentence cannot exist without the subject.

Example: – The man gives the woman chocolate. – “The man” is the subject. Without “the man,” the chocolate would not be given to the woman.

Beispiel: – Der Mann schenkt der Frau Schokolade. – “Der Mann” is the subject. Without “der Mann,” die Frau would not have been given the Schokolade.

Verb Second, look for the verb. The verb is usually right after the subject. Sometimes there is more than one verb. In German these extra verbs are found at the end of the sentence.

Finding the verb(s) will help you find the direct object of the sentence. Remember that: – Verbs are action words. – Most verbs in German end in –en.

Example: – The man gives the woman chocolate. – What is the man doing? – He is giving.

Beispiel: – Der Mann schenkt der Frau Schokolade. – What is der Mann doing? – He is giving (schenken).

Accusative = Direct Object Third, look for the direct object. Most of the time, but not always, the direct object is right after the verb. The direct object receives the action of the verb.

Example: – The man gives the woman chocolate. – What is being given? – Chocolate.

Beispiel: – Der Mann schenkt der Frau Schokolade. – What is being given (schenken)? – Schokolade.

Notice that in these examples chocolate/Schokolade is not right after the verb. We can rearrange the sentences: – The man gives chocolate to the woman. – Der Mann schenkt Schokolade zu der (zur) Frau.

The Accusative Case will always answer “when.” This is referring to a time of day, week, month or year.

Examples: – Monday, Evening, Day, Week, Month, Year Beispiele: – Montag, Abend, Tag, Woche, Monat, Jahr

The Accusative Case will also answer time as you would find on a clock. Example: – at 10:30 Beispiel: – um 10 Uhr 30

Accustative Prepositions It is also possible to tell what case you are in using prepositions. Certain prepositions belong to a certain case. What is a preposition? – A preposition is a word that usually comes before the noun or pronoun and functions as a modifier.

Examples of Accusative Prepositions: – bis: until, to by – durch: through, by – für: for – gegen: against, for – ohne: without – um: at (time), around, for – entlang: along, down

It is easy to remember these accusative prepositions by singing them to the tune of “Camptown Races.” “Durch, für, gegen, ohne, um: Akkusativ, Akkusativ!”

Whenever you see one of these prepositions, you are in the Accusative Case. Example: – The car is for the boy. “The boy” is after the preposition “for” and is the direct object. Beispiel: – Das Auto ist für den Junge. “Den Junge” is after the preposition “für” and is the direct object.

Dative = Indirect Object Lastly, look for the indirect object. The indirect object will most likely be a person. The indirect object will be the receiver of the direct object.

Example: – The man gives the woman chocolate. – Who is being given the chocolate? – The woman is being given, or receiving, chocolate.

Beispiel: – Der Mann schenkt der Frau Schokolade. – Who is being given (schenken) Schokolade? – Die Frau is being given, or receiving, Schokolade.

The Dative Case will also answer “where,” or show location. Example: – We are in the city. – Where are we?In the city. Beispiel: – Wir sind in der Stadt. – Where are we?In der Stadt.

Dative Prepositions aus: from, out of außer: except for, besides bei: at, near gegenüber: across from, opposite mit: with, by nach: after, to seit: since (time), for von: by, from zu: at, to

It is easy to remember these dative prepositions by singing them to the tune of “The Blue Danube.” “Aus, außer, bei, mit – nach, seit – von, zu”

Whenever you see one of these prepositions, you are in the Dative Case. Example: – The man gave chocolate to the woman. – “The woman” is after the preposition “to” and is the indirect object. Beispiel: – Der Mann schenkt Schokolade zu der Frau. – “Der Frau” is after the preposition “zu” and is the indirect object.

Dative Verbs – antworten: to answer – bitten: to ask – bleiben: to stay – danken: to thank – fehlen: to be missing (something) – folgen: to follow – gefallen: to please – gehen: to go – gehoeren: to belong to glauben: to believe helfen: to help passen: to fit passieren: to happen schmecken: to taste stehen: to stand verzeihen: to forgive wehtun: to hurt

Example: – I help my mother. – “Help” is a dative verb. – My mother is receiving help. Beispiel: – Ich helfe meiner Mutter. – “Helfe(n)” is a dative verb. – Meiner Mutter is receiving help.

2-Way Prepositions Some prepositions can be either Accusative or Dative. It depends on the context of the sentence. Motion – Accusative Location – Dative

an: at, on, to auf: at, on, to, upon bevor: before hinter: behind in: in, into neben: beside, near, next to über: about, above, across, over unter: under, among vor: in front of, before zwischen: between

Example in Accusative (Motion) Example: – I go under the bridge. – Am I already under the bridge or am I going under the bridge? – Going. In this case, under is an Accusative Preposition.

Beispiel: – Ich gehe unter die Bruecke. – Am I already unter der Bruecke or am I going unter die Bruecke? – Going. In this case, unter is an Accusative Preposition.

Example in Dative (Location) Example: – I am under the bridge. – Am I already under the bridge or am I going under the bridge? – Under. In this case, under is a Dative Preposition.

Beispiel: – Ich bin unter der Bruecke. – Am I already unter der Bruecke or am I going unter die Bruecke? – Unter. In this case, unter is a Dative Preposition.

Genitive Case There is one more case in German. The Genitive Case is the possessive case. This case is slowly being taken over by the Dative Case, but is still relevant.

Example: – That is the car of my father. – “Of” means that the car belongs to my father. – In German, this is the Genitive Case.

Beispiel: – Das ist das Auto meines Vaters. – The “of” has been removed from this sentence, but the meaning is still the same. – In the Dative Case: Das ist das Auto von meiner Vater. “Of” is in this sentence because “von” is a dative preposition.

Genitive Prepositions anstatt/statt: instead of außerhalb: outside of innerhalb: inside of trotz: despite, in spite of während: during, in the course of wegen: because of

Example: – Because of the weather... – “Of” is in this clause, but the preposition “because of” makes it Genitive. Beispiel: – Wegen des Wetters... – “Of’ is not in this clause. – The preposition “wegen” makes it Genitive, so there is no need for “of.”

Genitive Rules If whatever is in possession of something is masculine or neuter and is one syllable long, – add an –es to the end of the definite/indefinite article in front of the person; – add an –es to the end of the person.

Beispiel: – der Mann  des Mannes – ein Mann  eines Mannes – das Kind  des Kindes – ein Kind  eines Kindes

If whatever is in possession of something is masculine or neuter and is more than one syllable long, – add an –es to the end of the definite/indefinite article in front of the person; – add an –s to the end of the person.

Beispiel: – der Vater  des Vaters – ein Vater  eines Vaters – das Baby  des Babys – ein Baby  eines Babys

If whatever is in possession of something is feminine, – add an –er to the end of the definite/indefinite article in front of the person; – add nothing to the end of the person.

Beispiel: – die Frau  der Frau – eine Frau  einer Frau

Chart! MasculineFeminineNeuterPlural Nominativederdiedasdie Accusativedendiedasdie Dativedemderdemden Genitivedesderdesder