Introduction
Understanding local prepositions in German is essential for accurately describing locations and directions. Whether you're navigating a city, giving directions, or describing where something is, mastering these prepositions will greatly enhance your fluency and comprehension.
What Are German Local Prepositions?
German local prepositions are words that indicate location and direction. They help answer questions like "Where?", "Where to?", and "Where from?" By using them correctly, you can convey precise spatial information in your sentences.
German Local Prepositions List
Below is a list of German local prepositions divided into categories based on the spatial questions they answer. Each preposition is associated with a specific grammatical case, which affects the form of the noun or pronoun that follows.
Local Prepositions for "Where to" (Wohin?)
| Case | Preposition |
|---|---|
| Dative | nach, zu |
| Accusative | bis, durch, entlang, gegen, um |
Local Prepositions for "Where" (Wo?)
| Case | Preposition |
|---|---|
| Genitive | außerhalb, innerhalb, abseits, inmitten, oberhalb, unterhalb, unweit, diesseits, jenseits, beiderseits, nördlich, südlich, östlich, westlich, links, rechts, seitlich, längs, fern, unfern |
| Dative | ab, bei, gegenüber, von ... aus, zu Hause |
| Accusative | an ... entlang, um, um ... herum |
The most local prepositions for “where” are used with the genitive. You can read more about all German genitive prepositions: here.
Prepositions for "Where from" (Woher?)
| Case | Preposition |
|---|---|
| Dative | aus, von |
Two-Way Prepositions (Wechselpräpositionen)
Two-way prepositions can be used with either the Dative or Accusative case. When they answer the question "Where?" (Wo?),indicating a stationary location, they take the Dative case. When they answer the question "Where to?" (Wohin?),indicating movement toward a destination, they take the Accusative case. You can find a detailed article: here.
| Preposition | English Translation |
|---|---|
| an | at, on (vertical surfaces) |
| auf | on (horizontal surfaces),onto |
| hinter | behind |
| in | in, into |
| neben | next to |
| über | over, above |
| unter | under, below |
| vor | in front of, before |
| zwischen | between |
Example Sentences for German Local Prepositions
Below are example sentences that illustrate how to use these local prepositions in context.
Local Prepositions for "Where to" (Wohin?)
| Preposition | German Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| nach | Ich fahre nach Berlin. | I am driving to Berlin. |
| zu | Wir gehen zu dem Park. | We are going to the park. |
| bis | Fahre geradeaus bis die Ampel. | Drive straight ahead up to the traffic light. |
| durch | Wir gehen durch den Wald. | We are walking through the forest. |
| entlang | Er läuft den Fluss entlang. | He is walking along the river. |
| gegen | Das Auto prallte gegen den Baum. | The car crashed against the tree. |
| um | Sie gehen um das Haus. | They are walking around the house. |
Local Prepositions for "Where" (Wo?)
| Preposition | German Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| außerhalb | Er wohnt außerhalb der Stadt. | He lives outside the city. |
| innerhalb | Innerhalb des Gebäudes ist es warm. | Inside the building, it is warm. |
| ab | Der Zug fährt ab dem Hauptbahnhof. | The train departs from the main station. |
| bei | Ich bin bei meiner Freundin. | I am at my girlfriend's place. |
| gegenüber | Das Café liegt gegenüber der Bank. | The café is located opposite the bank. |
| von ... aus | Von hier aus kann man die Berge sehen. | From here, you can see the mountains. |
| zu Hause | Ich bin heute zu Hause. | I am at home today. |
| an ... entlang | Wir spazieren an der Straße entlang. | We are walking along the street. |
| um | Das Geschäft ist um die Ecke. | The shop is around the corner. |
| um ... herum | Die Kinder laufen um den Baum herum. | The children are running around the tree. |
Prepositions for "Where from" (Woher?)
| Preposition | German Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| aus | Sie kommt aus der Schweiz. | She comes from Switzerland. |
| von | Der Brief ist von meinem Bruder. | The letter is from my brother. |
Examples of Two-Way Prepositions (Wechselpräpositionen)
Below are the two-way prepositions used with both Dative and Accusative cases. Remember, use Dative when indicating location ("Where?") and Accusative when indicating direction ("Where to?").
| Preposition | Dative Example (Location) | Accusative Example (Direction) |
|---|---|---|
| an | Das Bild hängt an der Wand. (The picture is hanging on the wall.) | Ich hänge das Bild an die Wand. (I am hanging the picture on the wall.) |
| auf | Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch. (The book is lying on the table.) | Ich lege das Buch auf den Tisch. (I am putting the book on the table.) |
| hinter | Das Auto steht hinter dem Haus. (The car is parked behind the house.) | Er geht hinter das Haus. (He is going behind the house.) |
| in | Wir sind in der Stadt. (We are in the city.) | Wir gehen in die Stadt. (We are going into the city.) |
| neben | Der Stuhl steht neben dem Tisch. (The chair is next to the table.) | Er stellt den Stuhl neben den Tisch. (He puts the chair next to the table.) |
| über | Die Lampe hängt über dem Tisch. (The lamp is hanging over the table.) | Der Vogel fliegt über das Haus. (The bird is flying over the house.) |
| unter | Die Katze schläft unter dem Sofa. (The cat is sleeping under the sofa.) | Die Katze läuft unter das Sofa. (The cat runs under the sofa.) |
| vor | Wir treffen uns vor dem Kino. (We are meeting in front of the cinema.) | Stell das Fahrrad vor die Tür. (Put the bicycle in front of the door.) |
| zwischen | Das Sofa steht zwischen den Sesseln. (The sofa is between the armchairs.) | Er stellt das Sofa zwischen die Sessel. (He places the sofa between the armchairs.) |
Test Your Knowledge with Our German Local Prepositions Quiz
Ready to test your understanding of German local prepositions? Take our interactive quiz to see how much you've learned.
Two-way prepositions quiz: here.
Conclusion
Mastering German local prepositions is crucial for effective communication in the language. They allow you to describe locations and directions accurately, making your conversations more precise and understandable. Remember to practice regularly and refer back to this guide whenever you need a refresher.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What are local prepositions in German?
Local prepositions in German are words that indicate location and direction. They help answer questions like "Where?" (Wo?),"Where to?" (Wohin?),and "Where from?" (Woher?).
How do I know which case to use with local prepositions?
The case depends on the preposition and the context. Some prepositions always take a specific case (Genitive, Dative or Accusative),while two-way prepositions can take either Dative or Accusative depending on whether they indicate location (Dative) or direction (Accusative).
What are two-way prepositions in German?
Two-way prepositions (Wechselpräpositionen) are prepositions that can be used with either the Dative or Accusative case. They take the Dative case when indicating a stationary location and the Accusative case when indicating movement toward a destination.
Where can I find a list of prepositions that are used with dative and accusative?
You can find the most important dative prepositions: here and the most important accusative prepositions: here.
Which prepositions shall I learn first?
To effectively learn German prepositions, it’s best to start with those using the dative and accusative cases. Once you've mastered those, focus on two-way prepositions, local, and temporal ones. Lastly, tackle genitive prepositions as they are less common. This approach will help you build a solid foundation step by step.
