German Two-Way Prepositions

German Two-Way Prepositions

an (on [vertical surface])

auf (on top of [horizontal surface])

hinter (bedhind)

in (in)

neben (next to )

entlang (along)

über (above)

unter  (under)

vor (in front of)

zwischen (between)

Two-Way Prepositions, specifically are used to indicate…

• location (e.g. under the bed)

• direction (e.g. to the post office)

Then, in order to use a two-way preposition, you have to also know how to ‘signal’ which case your prepositional phrase is in, which is a matter of …

The two principles of using two-way prepositions are these:

• Use the dative when a static position is being referenced

• Use the accusative when a change in position is involved 

  Ich setze das Glas auf den Tisch (acc.) vs. Das Glas steht auf dem Tisch (dat.)

  (I’m setting the glass on the table vs. The glass is on the table.)

The accusative is NOT for all movement!

For example - im Dativ

• Die Kinder laufen im Garten

• (The children run in the garden.)

im Akkusativ

• Die Kinder laufen in den Garten

• (The children run into the garden).

The dative is used for movement too … sometimes

• Das Kind geht neben seiner Mama.

  (The child walks next to his mom.)

  
  

• Das Kind springt zwischen seinen Eltern.

  (The child jumps between his parents.)

Use the accusative case when there is a position change from point A to point B … and use the dative the rest of the time. 😉

Accusative vs. Dative Examples

hängen - to hang

Ich hänge das Bild an die Wand (acc) — I’m hanging the picture on the wall.

hängen - to hang

Das Bild hängt an der Wand (dat) — The picture is hanging on the wall.

stellen - to put

Er stellt die Lampe auf den Tisch. (acc) — He puts the lamp on the table.

stehen - to stand

Die Lampe steht auf dem Tisch. (dat) —

The lamp is standing on the table.

legen - to put = to lay

Ich lege das Buch auf den Tisch.(acc) — I lay the book on the table.

liegen = to lie

Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch. (dat) — the book is lying on the table.

setzen (sich) - to sit down

Ich setze mich in den Sessel. (acc) -

I sit down on the armchair.

sitzen - to sit

Er sitzt im Sessel. (dat) - He is sitting in the armchair.

• When using a two-way preposition, you have to put the noun (<– that’s in the prepositional phrase) into either the accusative OR dative case dependent on if the location is static (dative) OR if there’s a change of position (accusative).

• Successfully putting the noun into the right case is a matter of putting the correct declensions (strong or weak) onto the correct words (determiners or adjectives) so as to reflect the gender [masc., fem., neut., or plur.] & case of the noun!