Prepositions with the Dative Case
In the German language, prepositions play an important role in indicating the relationships between different elements in a sentence. When using prepositions that require the dative case, it is crucial to understand their specific meanings and how they affect the nouns and pronouns that follow.
In English, the dative case is often translated as "to" or "for," but it can also indicate other relationships such as "at," "from," or "with." To help you navigate this topic effectively, we have compiled a list of commonly used prepositions that take the dative case and their corresponding meanings:
aus
- out of, fromaußer
- except forbei
- at, near, withmit
- withnach
- after, to (for cities and countries)seit
- sincevon
- from, ofzu
- to, at
Please note that this list is not exhaustive, but it covers the prepositions you are most likely to encounter in everyday German. Let's take a closer look at each preposition and understand how they are used:
aus
- This preposition indicates motion or origin from a specific place. For example:- "Ich komme
aus
Deutschland." (I come from Germany.) - "Die Schokolade kommt
aus
der Schweiz." (The chocolate comes from Switzerland.)
- "Ich komme
außer
- Use this preposition to express an exception to a rule or exclusion. For example:- "Alle sind da,
außer
dir." (Everyone is here, except for you.) - "Ich esse alles,
außer
Fisch." (I eat everything, except fish.)
- "Alle sind da,
bei
- It can indicate various meanings such as "at," "near," or "with." It often conveys a sense of personal or professional relationship. For example:- "Ich wohne
bei
meinen Eltern." (I live with my parents.) - "Ich arbeite
bei
einer Bank." (I work at a bank.) - "Kommst du
bei
mir vorbei?" (Are you coming over to my place?)
- "Ich wohne
mit
- This preposition denotes "with" and is commonly used to indicate companionship or means of transportation. For example:- "Ich gehe
mit
meinen Freunden ins Kino." (I am going to the cinema with my friends.) - "Ich fahre
mit
dem Bus zur Arbeit." (I go to work by bus.)
- "Ich gehe
nach
- Use this preposition to indicate movement or direction toward a city or country. For example:- "Ich fliege
nach
Paris." (I am flying to Paris.) - "Wir gehen
nach
Hause." (We are going home.)
- "Ich fliege
seit
- This preposition is used to express the starting point of a time period. For example:- "Ich wohne hier
seit
drei Jahren." (I have been living here for three years.) - "Er arbeitet
seit
der Pandemie im Homeoffice." (He has been working from home since the pandemic.)
- "Ich wohne hier
von
- It indicates the origin or source of something. For example:- "Das Buch ist
von
Goethe." (The book is by Goethe.) - "Ich bekomme ein Geschenk
von
meiner Freundin." (I am receiving a gift from my girlfriend.)
- "Das Buch ist
zu
- This preposition is used to express movement towards a specific location or person. For example:- "Ich gehe
zu
meiner Oma." (I am going to my grandma's place.) - "Ich schicke dir einen Brief
zu
." (I am sending you a letter.)
- "Ich gehe
Remember, these are just a few examples to help you understand the usage of prepositions with the dative case. It is essential to practice and immerse yourself in German language materials to gain a deeper understanding of how these prepositions function in different contexts.
Created: 12/18/2023 | Updated: 5/5/2025