Bite 13: Wechselpräpositionen – Two Cases, One Challenge

German in 100 bites by Dr. Mitar Pitzek

Bite 13:
Wechselpräpositionen – Two Cases, One Challenge
(A1 Level)

Innes Blog - Bite 13: Wechselpräpositionen - Two Cases, One Challenge

Before We Dive In

Imagine this: You’re at a German café, and you want to tell your friend where to put their coffee. Should they place it auf den Tisch or auf dem Tisch? 🤔
Both sentences are correct, but the meaning changes! Welcome to the world of Wechselpräpositionen – prepositions that can take both the Akkusativ and Dativ depending on the context.

In this Bite, we’ll break it down and make it easy for you to use these tricky prepositions correctly!

1. What are Wechselpräpositionen?

Wechselpräpositionen are prepositions that can be followed by either the Akkusativ or Dativ, depending on whether the action involves movement or a static position.
Here are the most common ones:

German	English
an	on (vertical surface), at
auf	on (horizontal surface)
hinter	behind
in	in, into
neben	next to
über	over, above
unter	under
vor	in front of
zwischen	between

2. Akkusativ vs. Dativ: How to Choose the Right Case

Use the Akkusativ (den/die/das): If there is movement towards a destination.

Ich lege das Buch auf den Tisch. (I put the book on the table.) → The book is moving!
Sie geht in den Park. (She is going into the park.) → She moves from one place to another.

Use the Dativ (dem/der/dem): If there is no movement, just a location.

Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch. (The book is on the table.) → The book stays put.
Sie ist im Park. (She is in the park.) → She is already there, not moving.

Quick Check: Ask yourself: “Wo?” (Where?) → Dativ. “Wohin?” (Where to?) → Akkusativ.

3. Practice with Simple Sentences

Fill in the blank with the correct article (Akkusativ or Dativ):

Ich stelle die Tasse ___ Tisch. (auf den / auf dem?)
Das Bild hängt ___ Wand. (an die / an der?)
Wir setzen uns ___ Stühle. (auf die / auf den?)
Der Schlüssel liegt ___ Tasche. (in die / in der?)

4. Fun Practice Idea: Describe Your Surroundings!

Look around and describe where objects are in German! Try sentences like:

Mein Handy liegt auf dem Tisch. (My phone is on the table.)
Ich stelle meine Tasche neben den Stuhl. (I put my bag next to the chair.)

Summary

Wechselpräpositionen can take both the Akkusativ and Dativ – the key is to determine if there is movement (Akkusativ) or a static position (Dativ). By practicing these prepositions in everyday situations, you’ll master them in no time!

Pro Tip from Dr. Mitar Pitzek

A simple trick: If you can replace the verb with “legen” (to lay) or “stellen” (to place), use Akkusativ. If you can replace it with “liegen” (to lie) or “stehen” (to stand), use Dativ!