The German Case System This presentation will help you to choose the correct word for “the” “a”, “not a” or “my” when writing German. Answer each question by clicking on the hyperlink buttons, until you arrive at the word you need. Click here to start

Is the word you are using after a preposition? Prepositions: until, through, for, against, without, around, along on, onto, behind, in, into, next to, by, over, above, under, beneath, before, in front of, between out of, by, with, after, since, of, from, to, opposite in spite of, because of, instead of YESNO

Nominative Case m.f.nt.pl. derdiedasdie ein kein mein eine keine meine ein kein mein - keine meine

Accusative Case m.f.nt.pl. dendiedasdie einen keinen meinen eine keine meine ein kein mein - keine NB: in + das is normally written as ins

Dative Case m.f.nt.pl. demderdemden einem keinem meinem einer keiner meiner einem keinem meinem - keinen meinen NB: in + dem is normally written as im; an + dem is normally written as am;

Genitive Case m.f.nt.pl. desderdesder eines keines meines einer keiner meiner eines keines meines - keiner meiner

Is the noun you are using before or after the verb “to be”? Examples Noun before “sein” (to be) : The answer is complicated. Noun after “sein” (to be) : He is my father. YESNO

Is the noun you are using the subject of the sentence? The subject is the “doer” of the action. Examples The man buys the dog. The dog chews a stick. YESNO

Is the noun you are using the direct object of the sentence? The direct object is the object of the action. Examples The man buys the dog. The dog chews a stick. YESNO

Is the noun you are using the indirect object of the sentence? The indirect object often translates the idea of “to” or “for” even if we don’t bother to use those words (ie it denotes the beneficiary of the action. Examples I am buying my mother a present. (ie I am buying a present for my mother. I gave my brother ten quid. (ie I gave ten quid to my brother.) YESNO

Is the noun you are using the after folgen, helfen or begegnen? In German the indirect object is used after the verbs to follow, to help and to meet / bump into. YESNO

Are you indicating possession or translating “ of ” or “ …’s ”? Examples My friend’s house (ie the house of my friend) My sister’s boyfriend. (ie the boyfriend of my sister.) YESNO

Are you using bis, durch, für, gegen, wider, ohne, um, or entlang? Meanings: bis - until; durch - through; für - for; gegen - against; wider - against; ohne - without; um - around; entlang - along YESNO

Are you using an, auf, hinter, in, neben, über unter, vor, or zwischen? Meanings: an - on, at; auf - on; hinter - behind; in - in, into; neben - next to, by; über - over, above; unter - under, beneath; vor - before, in front of; zwischen - between YESNO

Does the prepositon convey a sense of movement from A to B or does it emphasise location? What??? “I ran behind the tree.”: “behind” conveys a sense of movement from on place to another (A to B). “I stood behind the tree.” : “behind” emphasises location (no movement from A to B). A to BLocation

Are you using aus, bei, mit, nach, seit, von, zu, or gegenüber (von)? Meanings: aus - out of, from; bei - near, by; mit - with; nach - after; seit - since; von - of, from, by; zu - to; gegenüber / gegenüber von - opposite YESNO

Are you using trotz, wegen, or statt? Meanings: trotz - in spite of; wegen - because of; statt - instead of YESNO