WechselpräpositionWechselpräpositionenen

Translation: Translation: two-way two-way prepositionsprepositions

•There are 9 prepositions that can There are 9 prepositions that can either be used with dative OR either be used with dative OR accusative.accusative.

This is why they are frequently This is why they are frequently called 2-way prepositons.called 2-way prepositons.

Die Liste!Die Liste!•anan•aufauf•hinterhinter•inin•nebenneben•überüber•unterunter•vorvor•zwischenzwischen

How do How do twotwo--wayway preps preps work?work?

• Well, they work in Well, they work in twotwo different different waysways

• Hence the name: Hence the name: two-two-wayway preps preps

• They can be accusative if there is They can be accusative if there is action/motion towards the object action/motion towards the object (wohin?)(wohin?)BewegungBewegung

• Ich gehe unter den Tisch.Ich gehe unter den Tisch.– I am going under the table.I am going under the table.

•Or they can be dative if there is Or they can be dative if there is no action towards the object , OR no action towards the object , OR if there is motion within a limited if there is motion within a limited location location (wo?) (wo?) StillstandStillstand

•Ich bin unter dem Tisch.Ich bin unter dem Tisch.– I am (located) under the table.I am (located) under the table.

Accusative Accusative changeschanges

•der – dender – den•diedie stays stays•dasdas stays stays•diedie plural stays plural stays•So the only thing to worry So the only thing to worry

about in accusative is about in accusative is changing changing derder to to denden..

DativeDative changes changes

•derder – – demdem

•die die – – derder

•dasdas – – demdem

•diedie plural – plural – denden, and add –, and add –nn to word unless the plural to word unless the plural ends in –s or already ends in ends in –s or already ends in –n.–n.

an – accusative—to, an – accusative—to, ontoonto(for upright things)(for upright things)

•action = accusativeaction = accusative

•diedie stays stays diedie

•Ich hIch häänge das Foto an nge das Foto an diedie Wand. Wand. (I am hanging the picture on the (I am hanging the picture on the wall.) wall.)

an—dative = atan—dative = at

•dormant = dative = Stillstanddormant = dative = Stillstand

•diedie changes to changes to derder

•Das Foto hängt an Das Foto hängt an derder Wand. Wand.– The picture is hanging on the The picture is hanging on the

wall./The picture hangs on the wall./The picture hangs on the wall.wall.

auf – accusative—auf – accusative—on, on, on top of, onto, upon on top of, onto, upon (for horizontal things)(for horizontal things)•action= accusativeaction= accusative

•derder changes to changes to denden

•Ich stelle das Buch auf Ich stelle das Buch auf denden TischTisch. .

I place/put the book on the I place/put the book on the table.table.

auf—dative—onauf—dative—on, , inin

•dormant = dativedormant = dative

•der der changes to changes to demdem

•Das Buch steht auf Das Buch steht auf demdem Tisch.Tisch.– The book stands/is located on The book stands/is located on

the table.the table.

hinter – accusative--hinter – accusative--behindbehind

•action = accusativeaction = accusative

•der der changes to changes to denden

•Ich stelle das Fahrrad Ich stelle das Fahrrad hinter hinter denden Baum. Baum.– I put/I am putting the bike I put/I am putting the bike

behind the tree.behind the tree.

hinter—dative—behind hinter—dative—behind

•dormant = dativedormant = dative

•der der changes to changes to demdem

•Das Fahrrad ist hinter Das Fahrrad ist hinter dem dem Baum.Baum.– The bike is behind the tree./is The bike is behind the tree./is

located….located….

in – accusative—in – accusative—in, into, in, into, toto

•active = accusativeactive = accusative•dasdas stays stays dasdas• in + in + dasdas combines to combines to insins•Ich trage den Stuhl Ich trage den Stuhl insins

Haus.Haus.– I carry/am carrying the chair I carry/am carrying the chair

into the house. (notice—from into the house. (notice—from one location to another)one location to another)

in—dative—in, to be located in—dative—in, to be located inin

•dormant = dativedormant = dative

•DasDas changes to changes to demdem

• in + in + demdem combines to combines to imim

•Der Stuhl ist Der Stuhl ist imim Haus. Haus.– The chair is in the house./is The chair is in the house./is

located in…located in…

neben – accusative--beside, neben – accusative--beside, near, next tonear, next to

•active = accusativeactive = accusative•diedie plural stays plural stays diedie plural plural•Ich stelle den Kuli neben Ich stelle den Kuli neben

die die Bücher.Bücher.– I place/am placing the pen I place/am placing the pen

near/next to the books.near/next to the books.

neben—dative—beside, neben—dative—beside, next to, nearnext to, near

•dormant = dativedormant = dative

•die die plural changes to plural changes to denden, and , and add an –add an –nn to the word to the word

•Der Kuli ist neben Der Kuli ist neben denden BücherBüchernn..– The pen is next to the books.The pen is next to the books.

unter –accusative-- unter –accusative-- under, under, below, amongbelow, among

•action = accusativeaction = accusative

•diedie stays stays diedie

•Ich fahre mein Auto unter Ich fahre mein Auto unter diedie Brücke. Brücke.– I drive/am driving my car I drive/am driving my car

under the bridge.under the bridge.

unter—dative—under, unter—dative—under, below, beneathbelow, beneath

•dormant = dativedormant = dative

•die die changes to changes to derder

•Das Auto explodiert unter Das Auto explodiert unter derder Brücke. Brücke.– The car explodes under the The car explodes under the

bridge.bridge.

über – accusative—über – accusative—over, over, above, acrossabove, across

•action = accusativeaction = accusative

•derder changes to changes to denden

•Ich springe über Ich springe über denden Tisch. Tisch.– I jump/am jumping over the I jump/am jumping over the

table. table.

über—dative—above, über—dative—above, overover•dormant = dativedormant = dative

•derder changes to changes to demdem

•Das Licht hängt über Das Licht hängt über demdem Tisch.Tisch.– The light hangs/is hanging The light hangs/is hanging

above the table.above the table.

vor – vor – in front of, beforein front of, before

•action = accusative action = accusative

•dasdas stays stays dasdas

•Ich gehe vor Ich gehe vor dasdas Klassenzimmer.Klassenzimmer.– I go/am going before the I go/am going before the

classroom.classroom.

vor—dative—in front of, vor—dative—in front of, beforebefore

•dormant = dativedormant = dative

•dasdas changes to changes to demdem

•Ich stehe vor Ich stehe vor demdem Klassenzimmer.Klassenzimmer.– I stand/am standing in front I stand/am standing in front

of/before the classroom.of/before the classroom.

zwischen – accusative--zwischen – accusative--betweenbetween

•action = accusative action = accusative

•diedie plural stays plural stays diedie

•Ich stelle den Tisch Ich stelle den Tisch zwischen die Stzwischen die Stüühle.hle.– I place/am placing the table I place/am placing the table

between the chairs.between the chairs.

zwischen—dative—zwischen—dative—between between

•dormant = dative dormant = dative

•diedie plural changes to plural changes to denden, , with -with -nn

•Der Tisch ist zwischen den Der Tisch ist zwischen den StStüühlen.hlen.– The table is / is located The table is / is located

between the chairs.between the chairs.

Verbs of direction—use with Verbs of direction—use with accusativeaccusative

• These verbs denote direction—motion These verbs denote direction—motion from one place to another. When used from one place to another. When used in combination with one of the 2-way in combination with one of the 2-way preps., you need to use the accusative preps., you need to use the accusative case.case.

legen—to lay, to put, to placelegen—to lay, to put, to place

setzen—to place, to set, to sit downsetzen—to place, to set, to sit down

stellen—to put, to place, to setstellen—to put, to place, to set

Legen—to lay, to put, to placeLegen—to lay, to put, to place

z. B. Ich lege die Zeitung aufs (auf das) z. B. Ich lege die Zeitung aufs (auf das) Sofa.Sofa.

Du legst das Buch auf den Tisch.Du legst das Buch auf den Tisch.

Markus legt sein Heft unter die Zeitung.Markus legt sein Heft unter die Zeitung.

Setzen—to place, to set, to sit Setzen—to place, to set, to sit downdown

z.B. Er setzte sich neben das Mz.B. Er setzte sich neben das Mädchen.ädchen.

Wir setzten uns neben den Männern.Wir setzten uns neben den Männern.

Stellen—to put, to place, to Stellen—to put, to place, to setset

z. B. Du stellst den Stuhl neben den z. B. Du stellst den Stuhl neben den Tisch.Tisch.

Ich stelle das Buch auf den Tisch.Ich stelle das Buch auf den Tisch.

Verbs of Location: Use with Verbs of Location: Use with DativeDative

• These verbs denote location. When These verbs denote location. When they are used with 2-way preps, you they are used with 2-way preps, you must use dative case.must use dative case.

liegen—to lie, to restliegen—to lie, to rest

sitzen—to sitsitzen—to sit

stehen—to stand stehen—to stand

Liegen—to lie, restLiegen—to lie, rest

z. B. Warum liegst du unter deinem z. B. Warum liegst du unter deinem Bett?Bett?

Ich liege auf dem Sofa.Ich liege auf dem Sofa.

Der Hund liegt neben der Katze.Der Hund liegt neben der Katze.

sitzen—to sit sitzen—to sit

z. B. Ich sitze auf diesem Sofa.z. B. Ich sitze auf diesem Sofa.

Du sitzt auf ihrem Mantel.Du sitzt auf ihrem Mantel.

stehen—to stand stehen—to stand

z. B. Warum steht er neben meinem z. B. Warum steht er neben meinem Bruder?Bruder?

Du stehst in dem (im) Zimmer.Du stehst in dem (im) Zimmer.

Die Lampe steht zwischen dem Sofa Die Lampe steht zwischen dem Sofa und der Stereoanlage. und der Stereoanlage.