24.1. Prepositions in German: Introduction to Prepositions

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The study of prepositions in German is a fundamental part of understanding and fluency in the language. Prepositions are words that establish a relationship between two or more terms within a sentence, connecting them and giving meaning to the grammatical structure.

In German, prepositions are used to indicate direction, location, time, cause, environment, among other things. They are essential for the formation of complete and coherent sentences. Therefore, this chapter of our basic German e-book course will be dedicated to introducing prepositions in German.

First of all, it is important to note that prepositions in German can be divided into four main categories: accusative prepositions, dative prepositions, genitive prepositions and double case prepositions (accusative or dative).

Accusative prepositions are those that always require the use of the accusative. Some examples include "durch" (through), "für" (for), "gegen" (against), "ohne" (without), and "um" (around). For example, the sentence "Ich gehe durch den Park" (I walk through the park) uses the accusative preposition "durch".

Dative prepositions, on the other hand, always require the use of the dative. Examples include "aus" (from), "bei" (near to), "mit" (with), "nach" (after), "seit" (from), "von" (from), and "zu" (to ). For example, the sentence "Ich komme aus der Schule" (I come from school) uses the dative preposition "aus".

Genitive prepositions are less common and are generally used in a more formal context. They include words like "während" (during), "trotz" (in spite of), "wegen" (because of) and "anstatt" (instead of). For example, the sentence "Wegen des Regens bleibe ich zu Hause" (Because of the rain, I stay at home) uses the genitive preposition "wegen".

Finally, double-case prepositions may require either the accusative or the dative, depending on the context. They include "an" (at), "auf" (at), "hinter" (behind), "in" (at), "neben" (next to), "über" (over), "unter" ( below), "vor" (before) and "zwischen" (between). For example, the sentence "Ich lege das Buch auf den Tisch" (I put the book on the table) uses the double-case preposition "auf" with the accusative. However, in the sentence "Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch" (The book is on the table), the same preposition "auf" is used with dative.

Understanding and memorizing German prepositions is critical, as they play a crucial role in building grammar and sentence meaning. Furthermore, prepositions can change the meaning of a verb when they are used in combination with it, forming what are known as verbs with prepositions.

For example, the verb "denken" (to think) can be used with the preposition "an" to form "denken an", which means "to think about". Likewise, "sprechen" (to speak) can be combined with "über" to form "sprechen über", which means "to speak about".

In short, prepositions in German are a fundamental aspect of the language that requires study and practice. We hope this introduction to German prepositions has been helpful and encourages you to continue learning and exploring the rich and complex German grammar.

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9724.2. Prepositions in German: Prepositions of Place