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German grammar · A1

German Accusative Prepositions: Durch, Für, Gegen, Ohne, Um

A small group of German prepositions is always followed by the accusative case, no matter what the sentence is doing. Because the list is short and admits no exceptions, this is one of the quickest wins available at A1.

The list

durch (through), für (for), gegen (against, around a time), ohne (without), um (around, at a clock time). Two more belong to the group and appear less often: bis (until) and entlang (along).

Learners often memorise the first five as a single string. Whatever device you use, the point is that the case is fixed — you never have to work it out from the meaning of the sentence, as you do with the two-way prepositions.

What actually changes

Since only the masculine article changes in the accusative, these prepositions are visible mainly in front of masculine nouns: für den Mann, ohne meinen Bruder, durch einen Park.

Feminine, neuter and plural nouns look unchanged: für die Frau, ohne das Auto, für die Kinder. So in practice, the whole rule reduces to a habit of reaching for den and einen after these five words.

Two contractions are standard and worth using: für das becomes fürs and durch das becomes durchs.

Bis and entlang behave oddly

Two members of the group do not act like the rest. Bis usually appears in front of another preposition, and then that second preposition governs the case: bis zum Bahnhof is dative because of zu. On its own with a place or time, bis takes no article at all: bis Montag, bis Berlin.

Entlang is unusual in coming after its noun: Ich gehe die Straße entlang, not entlang die Straße. It is worth recognising, because that trailing position makes it easy to miss when reading directions.

Examples

• Das Geschenk ist für meinen Bruder.The gift is for my brother.
• Ich trinke Kaffee ohne Zucker.I drink coffee without sugar.

Mistakes to avoid

The errors are almost always a masculine noun left in the nominative after one of these prepositions, or a dative form imported from a different preposition.

• ✗ Ich gehe durch dem Park.✓ Ich gehe durch den Park.
• ✗ Das Geschenk ist für dir.✓ Das Geschenk ist für dich.
• ✗ Wir sitzen um dem Tisch.✓ Wir sitzen um den Tisch.

How this is tested in the exam

Um is unavoidable at A1 because it is how clock times are given — um acht Uhr — and clock times are the commonest answer in Hören. Für and ohne come up constantly in Schreiben when you explain who something is for or what you will be without.

Frequently asked questions

Which German prepositions always take the accusative?

durch, für, gegen, ohne and um, plus bis and entlang. The case never changes with these, whatever the sentence means.

Why does only the masculine change after these prepositions?

Because only the masculine article has a distinct accusative form: der becomes den and ein becomes einen. Feminine, neuter and plural forms are identical in the nominative and accusative.

What does um mean in German?

Around, in the spatial sense, and at, for clock times: um acht Uhr means at eight o'clock. Both uses take the accusative.

Are there contractions with accusative prepositions?

Yes: für das becomes fürs and durch das becomes durchs. Both are normal in speech and in informal writing.