The German language, like many others, has a series of prepositions that are used to indicate relationships of space, time, cause, and other types of relationships between words or groups of words. In this chapter, we'll focus on German distance prepositions, which are used to indicate the distance between two points.
The prepositions of distance in German are: 'von', 'zu', 'aus', 'nach', 'in', 'an', 'auf', 'unter', 'über', 'neben' , 'zwischen', 'hinter', 'vor', 'bei', 'um', 'durch', 'für', 'gegen', 'ohne', 'bis', 'entlang'. Each of them has a specific use and often there is no direct translation into Portuguese, which can make learning a little more challenging. However, with practice and study, you will certainly be able to master them.
The prepositions 'von' and 'zu' are generally used to indicate the origin and destination of something or someone, respectively. For example, in "Ich komme von der Arbeit" (I come from work) and "Ich gehe zu der Arbeit" (I go to work). Note that 'der Arbeit' is the dative case of 'die Arbeit'.
'Aus' and 'nach' are also used to indicate origin and destination, but in a broader sense. 'Aus' is used to indicate where something or someone comes from, while 'nach' is used to indicate where something or someone is going. For example, "Ich komme aus Deutschland" (I come from Germany) and "Ich reise nach Deutschland" (I travel to Germany).
'In', 'an', 'auf', 'unter', 'über', 'neben', 'zwischen', 'hinter', 'vor' are prepositions that indicate the location of something or someone. For example, "Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch" (The book is on the table), "Der Hund liegt unter dem Tisch" (The dog is under the table), "Das Bild hängt an der Wand" (The picture is on the wall), "Ich wohne in Berlin" (I live in Berlin).
'Bei' is used to indicate proximity, "Ich wohne bei der Schule" (I live near the school). 'A' is used to indicate the approximate location, "Das Haus liegt a den See" (The house is around the lake). 'Durch' indicates movement through something, "Ich gehe durch den Park" (I walk through the park). 'Für' is used to indicate the purpose or recipient of something, "Das Geschenk ist für dich" (The gift is for you). 'Gegen' indicates opposition or direction, "Ich bin gegen Gewalt" (I am against violence). 'Ohne' indicates the absence of something, "Ich kann nicht ohne dich leben" (I can't live without you). 'Bis' indicates the end of a period of time or distance, "Ich arbeite bis fünf Uhr" (I work until five). 'Entlang' indicates movement along something, "Ich gehe den Fluss entlang" (I walk along the river).
German prepositions can be challenging, but with practice and study, you'll surely be able to master them. Remember that the correct prepositions can change the meaning of a sentence, so it's important to use them correctly. We hope that this chapter has helped you to better understand prepositions of distance in German.
