German Accusative Prepositions — Rules, Examples & FUDGEBOW Trick

German Accusative Prepositions: There are 8 prepositions in German that always require the accusative case: für (for), um (around), durch (through), gegen (against), entlang (along), bis (until), ohne (without), and wider (against/contrary to). A popular mnemonic to remember them is FUDGEBOW.

This guide covers every preposition with examples, the FUDGEBOW memory trick, common mistakes, and a free quiz to test yourself.

If you’ve ever said “Ich gehe durch der Park” instead of “durch den Park,” you’ve already experienced the challenge: accusative prepositions change the article. Masculine nouns switch from der to den and from ein to einen — but feminine, neuter, and plural articles stay the same. Once you know which prepositions trigger the accusative, this becomes automatic. For the big picture on how German cases work, start with our Cases guide. For all preposition types (accusative, dative, two-way, genitive), see the Prepositions Overview.

What Are Accusative Prepositions?

Accusative prepositions are prepositions that always require the noun or pronoun after them to be in the accusative case. This means if the noun is masculine, the definite article changes from der to den, and the indefinite article changes from ein to einen: Unlike two-way prepositions (where you need to think about movement vs. location), accusative prepositions are simple: they ALWAYS use the accusative — no exceptions. For a full comparison of when to use accusative vs. dative, see our Dative vs. Accusative guide.

Complete List with Examples

Preposition	Meaning	Example	Translation
für	for	Das Geschenk ist für die Mutter.	The gift is for the mother.
um	around, at	Wir gehen um den See.	We walk around the lake.
durch	through	Sie fahren durch den Tunnel.	They drive through the tunnel.
gegen	against	Sie protestieren gegen die Verordnung.	They protest against the regulation.
ohne	without	Tina ging ohne Jacke aus dem Haus.	Tina left the house without a jacket.
bis	until, to	Er liest bis spät in die Nacht.	He reads until late into the night.
entlang	along	Wir gehen die Straße entlang.	We walk along the street.
wider	against, contrary to	Das war wider den Rat seiner Eltern.	That was against his parents’ advice.

Each Preposition Explained

Für (for)

“Für” expresses purpose, benefit, or intention — similar to “for” in English. It’s one of the most frequently used prepositions in German.

• Ich habe ein Geschenk für dich. (I have a present for you.)
• Ich freue mich für dich. (I am happy for you.)

Um (around, at)

“Um” has two main uses: indicating time (“at”) and describing movement around something.

• Ich komme um 17 Uhr. (I’ll be there at 5 pm.) — time
• Wir gehen um den See. (We walk around the lake.) — movement

Durch (through)

“Durch” describes movement through a space, or a means by which something happens.

• Das Licht scheint durch das Fenster. (The light shines through the window.)
• Der Erfolg kam durch harte Arbeit. (Success came through hard work.)

Gegen (against)

“Gegen” expresses opposition, contrast, or physical direction toward something.

• Er trat kraftvoll gegen den Ball. (He kicked the ball powerfully.)
• Sie lehnt sich gegen die Wand. (She leans against the wall.)

Ohne (without)

“Ohne” means “without.” It is often used without an article when speaking generally.

• Sie reisten ohne Gepäck. (They traveled without luggage.)
• Das Gerät wird ohne Gewährleistung verkauft. (The device is sold without warranty.)

Bis (until, to)

“Bis” marks the endpoint of a time period or a physical limit. Important: “bis” is often combined with a second preposition — and when it is, the second preposition determines the case.

• Sie studiert jeden Tag bis in die späten Abendstunden. (She studies every day until late in the evening.)
• Der Pfad führt bis an den Rand des Waldes. (The path leads to the edge of the forest.)

Entlang (along)

“Entlang” describes movement along a path, road, river, or border. It takes the accusative when placed after the noun (the standard position).

• Wir gehen den Fluss entlang. (We are walking along the river.)
• Sie fährt die Straße entlang bis zur Kreuzung. (She drives along the street up to the intersection.)

Wider (against, contrary to)

“Wider” is a formal preposition meaning “against” in the sense of opposing rules, logic, or expectations. It’s mainly used in written or formal German.

• Er handelt wider besseres Wissen. (He acts against better judgment.)
• Das verstößt wider das Gesetz. (That violates the law.)

How to Remember: FUDGEBOW

The most popular mnemonic for all 8 accusative prepositions is the word FUDGEBOW: If you can remember “FUDGEBOW,” you know all 8 accusative prepositions. Everything else — dative prepositions, two-way prepositions, genitive prepositions — is a different group.

Test Yourself: 5 Quick Questions

Choose the correct preposition for each sentence.

Want more practice? Try the full Accusative Prepositions Quiz or test yourself on Dative vs. Accusative Prepositions. For more quizzes, see all grammar quizzes.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Wrong: Ich gehe durch der Park.

✅ Correct: Ich gehe durch den Park.

💡 Why: “Durch” is an accusative preposition. Masculine articles must change from der to den in the accusative. This is the most common accusative preposition mistake.

❌ Wrong: Er kauft ein neuer Mantel für sein Vater.

✅ Correct: Er kauft einen neuen Mantel für seinen Vater.

💡 Why: Both “einen neuen Mantel” (direct object) and “für seinen Vater” (accusative preposition) need accusative forms. The indefinite article changes from ein to einen, and the adjective ending changes too.

❌ Wrong: Ich habe Geburtstag um Montag.

✅ Correct: Ich habe am Montag Geburtstag.

💡 Why: “Um” is only used with clock times (“um 17 Uhr”). For days, use “am” (am Montag). For months, use “im” (im Januar). See temporal prepositions.

❌ Wrong: Für meinen Bruder ich habe ein Geschenk gekauft.

✅ Correct: Ich habe ein Geschenk für meinen Bruder gekauft.

✅ Also correct: Für meinen Bruder habe ich ein Geschenk gekauft.

💡 Why: In German, the verb must always be in the 2nd position in a main clause. If you start with the prepositional phrase (“Für meinen Bruder”), the verb (“habe”) must come right after — the subject (“ich”) moves behind the verb. See German word order.

❌ Wrong: Wir gehen entlang die Straße.

✅ Correct: Wir gehen die Straße entlang.

💡 Why: “Entlang” is the only accusative preposition that comes AFTER the noun. Unlike “durch,” “für,” or “gegen” (which all come before), “entlang” follows the noun: “die Straße entlang” — not “entlang die Straße.”

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the German accusative prepositions?

There are 8 accusative prepositions in German: für (for), um (around/at), durch (through), gegen (against), entlang (along), bis (until), ohne (without), and wider (against/contrary to). They always require the noun after them to be in the accusative case.

How do I remember all accusative prepositions?

Use the mnemonic FUDGEBOW: Für, Um, Durch, Gegen, Entlang, Bis, Ohne, Wider. If you memorize this single word, you know all 8 accusative prepositions. Everything else — dative, two-way, genitive — belongs to a different group.

How do accusative prepositions change the article?

Only masculine articles change in the accusative: der becomes den, ein becomes einen. Feminine (die/eine), neuter (das/ein), and plural (die) articles stay the same. So “für den Mann” but “für die Frau” and “für das Kind.” For a complete overview, see the Articles Chart.

What is the difference between accusative and dative prepositions?

Accusative prepositions (FUDGEBOW) always take the accusative case. Dative prepositions (mit, bei, von, seit, zu, außer, nach, gegenüber, aus, ab) always take the dative case. The two groups never overlap. The tricky ones are two-way prepositions (in, an, auf, etc.) which can take either case depending on context. For a full comparison, see Dative vs. Accusative.

Does “entlang” come before or after the noun?

“Entlang” is the exception among accusative prepositions: it comes after the noun. You say “die Straße entlang” (along the street), not “entlang die Straße.” All other accusative prepositions come before the noun: “durch den Park,” “für meinen Bruder,” etc.

Is “bis” always accusative?

When “bis” stands alone, yes — it takes accusative. But “bis” is often combined with a second preposition: “bis zum Bahnhof” (bis + zu → dative), “bis an den Rand” (bis + an → accusative), “bis nach Berlin” (no article needed). When combined, the second preposition determines the case — not “bis.”

Do accusative prepositions affect adjective endings?

Indirectly, yes. Accusative prepositions force the accusative case, and adjective endings depend on the case. So after “für,” you need the accusative adjective ending: “für einen neuen Mantel” (not “für ein neuer Mantel”). The preposition triggers the case, and the case determines the ending.

How can I practice accusative prepositions?

Start by memorizing FUDGEBOW, then practice with quizzes: the Accusative Prepositions Quiz tests individual prepositions, and the Dative vs. Accusative Quiz tests if you can tell the cases apart. For mastering the articles themselves (which change after accusative prepositions), the Article Trainer drills 600+ nouns.