German Cases Explained: Nominative, Accusative, Dative and Genitive

German has four cases. They show the role a noun plays in a sentence: subject, direct object, indirect object or possession. Once you see the pattern, the endings become predictable.

What the four cases do

Nominative is the subject (who does it). Accusative is the direct object (what is affected). Dative is the indirect object (to or for whom). Genitive shows possession (whose). Ask the question for each noun to find its case.

The article table

Accusative

Use the accusative for direct objects. Only masculine forms change (der → den, ein → einen). See the accusative case and verbs that take the accusative.

Dative

The dative covers indirect objects and many prepositions. Learn the fixed lists: dative prepositions and dative verbs such as helfen and gefallen. Use two-way prepositions with the dative for location.

Genitive

The genitive shows possession and appears more in writing. For speech, many Germans use von + dative instead. See the genitive case and genitive prepositions such as wegen and trotz.

Which prepositions take which case

Prepositions are fixed to a case: durch, für, gegen, ohne and um take the accusative; aus, bei, mit, nach, seit, von and zu take the dative. Two-way prepositions take the dative for location (Wo?) and the accusative for movement (Wohin?). Read accusative prepositions to start.

Adjectives and cases

Adjective endings also depend on the case. See adjective endings after der, die, das and after ein.

Keep practising

• Start the A1 learning path
• Browse all grammar topics
• Study vocabulary by topic
• Test your level