Verb valency and case government
C1 · Advanced · Mastery
The rule
Know which verbs take genitive or double accusative.
How it works
Verbs in German govern a particular case or preposition. Helfen takes the dative, gedenken takes the genitive, and warten takes auf with the accusative. Some verbs take two objects, one in the accusative and one in the dative. Learning the valency pattern of each verb is necessary for correct sentences and for reading formal texts.
When to use it
Learn which case a verb governs, such as helfen (dative), warten auf (accusative) and gedenken (genitive).
Use cases
- Choosing the right object case: Ich helfe meinem Bruder
- Using a genitive verb in formal German: Wir gedenken der Opfer
- Choosing a prepositional object: Er bittet um Hilfe
Examples
- Er bedarf der Hilfe – He requires help
- Sie erinnert sich an den Urlaub. – She remembers the holiday.
- Der Chef bedankt sich bei den Mitarbeitern. – The boss thanks the employees.
- Wir beschuldigen niemanden. – We accuse no one.
Common mistake
Assuming the case from English: many German verbs take dative or genitive where English does not.
Memory tip
Learn each verb with its case in the dictionary entry.
Read the wider picture in our guide: German Cases Explained: Nominative, Accusative, Dative and Genitive.