24.10. Prepositions in German: Company Prepositions

German prepositions are vital linguistic tools that help connect words and phrases, providing a greater level of detail and clarity to our expressions. In this chapter, we will focus on company prepositions, which are used to indicate the presence or participation of one or more people in an action or event.

Company Prepositions in German

In German, the main companion prepositions are 'mit' (with), 'ohne' (without), and 'gegen' (against). These prepositions are used with the accusative and dative cases, depending on the context and the meaning we want to convey.

'Mit' (With)

The preposition 'mit' is used to indicate the company or joint interest in an action. It is used with the dative case. For example:

• Ich gehe mit meiner Freundin ins Kino. (I go to the movies with my girlfriend.)
• Er studiert mit seinen Freunden. (He studies with his friends.)

Note that the preposition 'mit' requires the noun or pronoun that follows it to be in the dative case.

'Ohne' (Without)

The preposition 'ohne' is used to indicate the absence of someone or something. It is used with the accusative case. For example:

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• Ich kann nicht ohne dich leben. (I can't live without you.)
• Wir sind ohne unseren Lehrer in der Schule. (We are at school without our teacher.)

Again, note that the preposition 'ohne' requires the noun or pronoun that follows it to be in the accusative case.

'Gegen' (Against)

The preposition 'gegen' is used to indicate opposition or resistance. It is used with the accusative case. For example:

• Wir sind gegen Rassismus. (We are against racism.)
• Er spielt gegen seinen Bruder Schach. (He plays chess against his brother.)

Here, the preposition 'gegen' also requires that the noun or pronoun that follows it be in the accusative case.

Conclusion

Company prepositions in German are essential for expressing companionship, absence, and opposition relationships. They require the correct use of the accusative and dative cases, which can be a challenge for German learners. However, with practice and constant exposure to the language, using these prepositions will become natural and intuitive.

Keep practicing and trying out these prepositions in different contexts to improve your German fluency and understanding. Remember, the key to learning a new language is constant practice and full immersion in the language whenever possible.

We hope this chapter has been helpful for you to better understand the use of company prepositions in German. Keep following our course to learn more about German grammar and improve your language skills. Viel Glück! (Good luck!)