German Accusative Case: Rules, Articles & Example Sentences

The German Accusative Case (Akkusativ): The accusative marks the direct object — the person or thing directly receiving the action of the verb. You find it by asking “Wen oder was?” (whom or what?). The key rule: only the masculine singular article changes — der becomes den and ein becomes einen. Feminine (die/eine), neuter (das/ein), and plural (die) look exactly like the nominative. This guide covers the articles, pronouns, accusative prepositions, two-way prepositions, verbs, exercises, the most common mistakes, and an interactive quiz.

The German accusative case is essential for anyone learning German. It marks the direct object of a sentence — the person or thing directly affected by the action of the verb. Once you understand it, you can build correct sentences and communicate far more clearly. New to the case system? Start with Cases in German — Easily Explained.

Key Takeaways

1. The accusative marks the direct object. Find it by asking “Wen oder was?” (whom or what?).
2. Only the masculine singular changes: der → den and ein → einen. Feminine, neuter, and plural look exactly like the nominative.
3. Some prepositions always take the accusative: durch, für, gegen, ohne, um, bis.
4. Two-way prepositions (an, auf, in…) take the accusative when there is movement toward a destination — ask “Wohin?”

What Is the Accusative Case?

The accusative case (Akkusativ) is used for the direct object of a sentence — the person or thing directly affected by the verb. You identify it by asking “Wen oder was?” (whom or what?). In the accusative, only the masculine article changes: der becomes den and ein becomes einen.

Example: Ich sehe den Mann. (I see the man.) Ask “Whom do I see?” — den Mann. That is the direct object in the accusative case, because the man is receiving the action of being seen.

Example Sentences in the Accusative Case

The Role of the Accusative Case in German Grammar

German has four grammatical cases:

• Nominative Case: indicates the subject of the sentence.
• Genitive Case: shows possession.
• Dative Case: used for the indirect object.
• Accusative Case: used for the direct object.

Each case changes the articles — and sometimes the endings of nouns and adjectives. Because articles depend on gender, it helps to keep the article rules and the full articles chart handy while you learn the cases.

Declension of the Accusative Case

In the accusative, definite and indefinite articles, as well as pronouns, change form. Notice that only the masculine column changes — everything else stays the same as the nominative.

Definite Articles

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Indefinite Articles

Personal Pronouns

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Only ich, du, er, wir, and ihr change their form in the accusative. For the full set, see German Personal Pronouns.

Accusative Prepositions

Some prepositions always take the accusative, no matter what. Memorising this short list will help you get the case right every time:

• durch (through)
• für (for)
• gegen (against)
• ohne (without)
• um (around)
• bis (until)

(The less common entlang and wider also take the accusative.)

Examples with Accusative Prepositions

• Wir gehen durch den Park. (We are walking through the park.)
• Das Geschenk ist für dich. (The gift is for you.)
• Ich habe nichts gegen ihn. (I have nothing against him.)

Two-Way Prepositions (Wechselpräpositionen)

Nine prepositions can take either the accusative or the dative: an, auf, hinter, in, neben, über, unter, vor, zwischen. The case depends on the meaning:

• Accusative when there is movement toward a destination — ask “Wohin?” (where to?).
• Dative for a fixed location — ask “Wo?” (where?).

Compare:

• Ich gehe in den Park. (I go into the park.) — movement → accusative
• Ich bin im Park. (I am in the park.) — location → dative (in dem)
• Er legt das Buch auf den Tisch. (He puts the book on the table.) — movement → accusative
• Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch. (The book is lying on the table.) — location → dative

For the location side of these prepositions, see the Dative Case.

The Accusative of Time

Definite time expressions without a preposition take the accusative. Ask “Wann?” (when?) or “Wie lange?” (how long?):

• Ich lerne jeden Tag Deutsch. (I study German every day.)
• Wir bleiben einen Monat in Berlin. (We are staying one month in Berlin.)
• Nächste Woche habe ich Urlaub. (Next week I’m on holiday.)

The masculine forms make this visible: jeden Tag and einen Monat are both accusative.

Accusative Verbs

Many German verbs always take a direct object in the accusative. Here are common ones:

• haben (to have)
• sehen (to see)
• finden (to find)
• brauchen (to need)
• mögen (to like)
• kaufen (to buy)
• hören (to hear)

Examples with Accusative Verbs

• Ich habe einen neuen Computer. (I have a new computer.)
• Sie findet den Schlüssel nicht. (She can’t find the key.)
• Wir brauchen Hilfe. (We need help.)

Accusative Exercises

Practising is the fastest way to lock in the rules. Try these, then check your answers below.

1. Fill in the Correct Article

Choose the correct article (den, die, das, einen, eine):

1. Ich sehe ___ Mann. (I see the man.)
2. Sie kauft ___ Auto. (She buys the car.)
3. Wir besuchen ___ Freunde. (We are visiting the friends.)
4. Er trinkt ___ Kaffee. (He drinks the coffee.)
5. Ich habe ___ Katze. (I have a cat.)

Answers: 1. den · 2. das · 3. die · 4. den · 5. eine

2. Choose the Correct Pronoun

Replace the direct object with the correct pronoun (mich, dich, ihn, sie, es, uns, euch, sie/Sie):

1. Ich mag meinen Bruder. → Ich mag ___. (I like him.)
2. Er sieht die Frau. → Er sieht ___. (He sees her.)
3. Sie ruft ihre Eltern an. → Sie ruft ___ an. (She calls them.)
4. Wir hören die Musik. → Wir hören ___. (We hear it.)
5. Kannst du mich verstehen? → Ja, ich verstehe ___. (Yes, I understand you.)

Answers: 1. ihn · 2. sie · 3. sie · 4. sie · 5. dich

Common Mistakes with the Accusative Case

Learning the accusative is essential — but a handful of mistakes come up again and again. Here is how to avoid each one.

1. Using the wrong article for masculine nouns

Only the masculine singular article changes in the accusative, but many learners keep the nominative form. ❌ Ich sehe der Mann. ✅ Ich sehe den Mann. (I see the man.) Tip: der (masculine nominative) becomes den in the accusative.

2. Confusing the accusative and dative cases

Many learners mix up the accusative and the dative, especially after certain verbs. ❌ Ich danke den Mann. (wrong — “danken” takes the dative) ✅ Ich danke dem Mann. (I thank the man.) ❌ Ich helfe meinen Bruder. (wrong — “helfen” takes the dative) ✅ Ich helfe meinem Bruder. (I help my brother.) Tip: Learn which verbs require the dative (e.g. danken, helfen, folgen).

3. Forgetting that accusative prepositions require the accusative

After accusative prepositions (durch, für, gegen, ohne, um, bis), the noun must be in the accusative. ❌ Ich gehe durch der Park. ✅ Ich gehe durch den Park. (I walk through the park.) Tip: durch always takes the accusative, so der Park becomes den Park.

4. Getting the order of two objects wrong

When a sentence has both a dative and an accusative object, word order follows a pattern: with two nouns, the dative (indirect object) comes before the accusative (direct object). ✅ Der Junge gibt der Frau das Geschenk. (The boy gives the woman the present.) But if the direct object is a pronoun, it comes first: ✅ Der Junge gibt es der Frau. (The boy gives it to the woman.) Tip: Two nouns → dative before accusative. A pronoun object → pronoun first.

5. Using the wrong pronoun form

Personal pronouns change in the accusative, and using the nominative form is a common slip. ❌ Er sieht ich. ✅ Er sieht mich. (He sees me.) ❌ Ich frage du. ✅ Ich frage dich. (I ask you.) Tip: After an accusative verb, use mich, dich, ihn, uns, euch — not ich, du, er, wir, ihr.

6. Forgetting that some verbs always take the accusative

Certain verbs always need an accusative object, and the article (and any adjective) must match. ❌ Ich brauche ein neuer Computer. ✅ Ich brauche einen neuen Computer. (I need a new computer.) Tip: brauchen requires the accusative, so ein neuer becomes einen neuen.

German Accusative Quiz

Test yourself below. Pick a, b, or c — you will see the correct answer and the rule behind it right away.

More Accusative Quizzes

For more practice, try these free interactive quizzes:

1. Accusative Case Quiz
2. German Dative vs. Accusative Quiz
3. Nominative vs. Accusative Cases Quiz
4. Dative vs. Accusative Prepositions (A1–B1)

Quizzes are great for a quick self-check — but to make der, die, das (and therefore den, einen) automatic, you need structured, repeated practice. That is exactly what the Article Trainer is built for.

Conclusion

Understanding the accusative is vital for building correct German sentences. Remember the core rule — only the masculine article changes (der → den, ein → einen) — learn the accusative prepositions and verbs, and watch out for the dative traps like danken and helfen. Practise the accusative in your daily writing and conversations, and it will quickly feel natural. Next up: the Dative Case, the other half of the two-way prepositions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What questions does the accusative case answer?

The accusative case answers “whom?” (wen?) and “what?” (was?). The answer is the direct object of the sentence.

How do articles change in the accusative case?

Only the masculine singular article changes: der becomes den, and ein becomes einen. Feminine, neuter, and plural articles stay the same as the nominative.

What are accusative prepositions?

These prepositions always take the accusative: durch (through), für (for), gegen (against), ohne (without), um (around), and bis (until).

Do all verbs require the accusative case?

No. Only transitive verbs and certain specific verbs take an accusative object. Some verbs take the dative instead — it helps to learn the dative verbs first, since there are fewer of them.

How can I practice the accusative case?

Read German texts, write your own sentences with accusative verbs and prepositions, and speak with native speakers or other learners. Use the free quizzes above, and drill the noun genders behind the case with the Article Trainer.

Keep Learning: Related Articles

• Cases in German — Easily Explained
• German Nominative Case
• German Dative Case
• German Genitive Case
• German Accusative Prepositions
• German Definite Articles (Der, Die, Das)
• German Indefinite Articles (Ein, Eine)
• German Personal Pronouns
• German Word Order & Sentence Structure
• German Adjective Endings