Da-compounds
A2 · Elementary · Cases & Verbs
The rule
darauf, damit, dafür replace preposition + thing.
How it works
Da-compounds (darauf, damit, dafür, darüber, daran) refer back to a thing already mentioned after a preposition. They are the normal way to say "on it", "with it" or "about it" in German, and they avoid repeating the noun. For people, use the preposition plus a pronoun instead: mit ihm, auf sie.
When to use it
Refer back to a thing with da- + preposition, such as darauf (on it) or damit (with it), instead of a preposition plus pronoun.
Use cases
- Referring back to a previous statement: Ich habe davon gehört
- Answering a question about an object: Ich habe nichts damit zu tun
- Pointing to an earlier topic: Darüber sprechen wir später
Examples
- Ich freue mich darauf – I look forward to it
- Ich freue mich darauf. – I am looking forward to it.
- Er hat keine Ahnung davon. – He has no idea about it.
- Wir sprechen darüber morgen. – We will talk about it tomorrow.
Common mistake
Using da- for people: for people use preposition + pronoun, such as "mit ihm".
Memory tip
For things, da- + preposition: damit (with it), darauf (on it). For people: mit ihm (with him).