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German grammar · A1

German Dative Prepositions: Aus, Bei, Mit, Nach, Seit, Von, Zu

A second fixed group always takes the dative. These are among the most frequent words in the language, so the dative forms attached to them become automatic quickly — and the contractions they form are heard far more often than the full versions.

The list and the contractions

aus (out of, from a country), bei (at someone's place, near), mit (with, by a means of transport), nach (after, to a city or country), seit (since, for a period), von (from, of), zu (to a person or place). außer and gegenüber belong here too.

Four contractions are standard and you should produce them rather than the full form: zu dem → zum, zu der → zur, bei dem → beim, von dem → vom. Saying ich gehe zu dem Arzt is not wrong but sounds laboured; zum Arzt is what people say.

Nach or zu, and the seit trap

Nach is used with cities and most countries: nach Berlin, nach Deutschland. Zu is used with people, buildings and institutions: zum Arzt, zur Schule, zu meiner Freundin. Countries that take an article are the exception and use in: in die Schweiz.

Seit has a tense trap. German uses it with the present tense for something still going on: Ich wohne seit zwei Jahren hier — I have been living here for two years. Using a past tense there, as English does, is a very common error.

Aus or von: two ways of saying from

Both translate as from and they are not interchangeable.

aus means out of an enclosed space, and it is the word for the country or town you come from: Ich komme aus Indien, Sie kommt aus dem Haus.

von means from a person, or from a starting point on a route: ein Brief von meiner Mutter, von Berlin nach München.

The test that usually works: if you could substitute out of in English, use aus. Origin — where you are from — always takes aus, and this is the first sentence of most A1 speaking tasks.

Examples

• Ich fahre mit dem Bus zur Arbeit.I take the bus to work.
• Sie kommt aus der Schweiz.She comes from Switzerland.

Mistakes to avoid

The recurring problems are using nach where the sentence needs zu, and pairing seit with a past tense instead of the present.

• ✗ mit den Bus✓ mit dem Bus
• ✗ zu dem Arzt (immer ausgeschrieben)✓ zum Arzt
• ✗ Ich wohne bei meine Eltern.✓ Ich wohne bei meinen Eltern.

How this is tested in the exam

These prepositions carry the practical information in Hören: how someone is travelling (mit dem Bus), where they are going (zum Bahnhof), where they are from (aus Indien). In Sprechen Teil 1 you will use aus and seit in your first two sentences.

Frequently asked questions

Which German prepositions always take the dative?

aus, bei, mit, nach, seit, von and zu, together with außer and gegenüber. The case is fixed and does not depend on the meaning.

What is the difference between nach and zu?

Nach is used with cities and most countries; zu is used with people, buildings and institutions. Countries that take an article use in instead: in die Schweiz.

What are the dative preposition contractions?

zum from zu dem, zur from zu der, beim from bei dem and vom from von dem. These are standard and preferred in speech.

Why does seit use the present tense in German?

Because the situation is still going on. Ich wohne seit zwei Jahren hier means I have been living here for two years. English uses a past form here and German does not.