Akkusativ or Dativ? German Cases Explained
Knowing when to use the accusative and when to use the dative is one of the biggest steps in German grammar. This lesson gives you the big picture of the German cases: why they exist, what each one does, how to recognise them and which verbs and prepositions go with which case. It is aimed at beginners, so it does not go into every ending. For those, there is a separate lesson for each case.
Why Does German Have Cases?
In a German sentence, the case shows you the job of each noun: who does something, and who or what is affected. Because the case is visible in the article, German can be flexible about word order. The endings do the work that word order does in English.
The Functions of the Cases
| Case | Question | Job in the sentence | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Wer? Was? | the subject, the doer | Der Mann kauft einen Apfel. |
| Akkusativ | Wen? Was? | the direct object | Der Mann kauft einen Apfel. |
| Dativ | Wem? | the indirect object, the receiver | Ich gebe dem Mann einen Apfel. |
The Articles at a Glance
| Case | masculine | feminine | neuter | plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | der / ein | die / eine | das / ein | die |
| Akkusativ | den / einen | die / eine | das / ein | die |
| Dativ | dem / einem | der / einer | dem / einem | den + n |
Nouns in the dative plural usually get an extra -n: mit den Kindern.
The Nominativ
The nominative is the base form that you find in the dictionary. It is the subject of the sentence and the case after sein and werden: Das ist ein Hund.
The Akkusativ
The accusative marks the direct object, the person or thing that the action goes to. Ask Wen oder was? after the verb. Only the masculine changes: der → den, ein → einen.
- Ich sehe den Hund.
- Sie kauft einen Tisch.
- Er liebt seine Frau.
Some prepositions always take the accusative: durch, fĂĽr, gegen, ohne, um and bis. See All German Accusative Case Prepositions.
The Dativ
The dative marks the indirect object, the person who receives something or for whom something is done. Ask Wem?
- Ich gebe dem Kind ein Buch.
- Er schenkt seiner Mutter Blumen.
- Wir helfen dem Nachbarn.
Some prepositions always take the dative: aus, bei, mit, nach, seit, von, zu and more. See German Dative Prepositions: Listening Practice.
Verbs with Akkusativ and Dativ
Most verbs are used with an accusative object: haben, kaufen, sehen, essen, brauchen, lieben. A smaller group of verbs takes the dative object, and you have to learn them: helfen, gefallen, gehören, danken, schmecken, antworten. Some verbs take both: geben, schenken, zeigen, schicken.
- Ich helfe dir. (dative verb)
- Das Buch gehört mir. (dative verb)
- Ich gebe dir das Buch. (dative for the person, accusative for the thing)
Learn the verbs in lists: 30 Most Important German Verbs with Accusative, All 14 German Dative Verbs for A1 Level and All A2 German Dative Verbs with Examples.
Summary
- Akkusativ: the direct object, Wen oder was?, only the masculine article changes.
- Dativ: the receiver, Wem?, the articles change for masculine, feminine, neuter and plural.
- Learn the prepositions and the verbs that come with each case.
Bonus Tip
The video ends with a bonus tip. Watch until the end to see it.
What to Learn Next
Some prepositions can take either case, depending on movement. That is the topic of German Two-Way Prepositions: Dative or Accusative?. To go deeper on one case at a time, start with Wer? Wen? Wem? When and how to use them.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know whether to use the accusative or the dative?
Look at the job of the noun. If it is the direct object (Wen oder was?), use the accusative. If it is the receiver or the person who benefits (Wem?), use the dative. Some verbs and prepositions also force one case.
Which articles change in the accusative?
Only the masculine ones: der becomes den, ein becomes einen. Feminine, neuter and plural articles look the same as in the nominative.
Which articles change in the dative?
All of them: dem for masculine and neuter, der for feminine and den for plural. The plural noun also gets an -n, as in mit den Kindern.
Which verbs take the dative?
A group of verbs you have to learn, for example helfen, gefallen, gehören, danken, schmecken and antworten.
Can a sentence have an accusative and a dative object?
Yes. With verbs like geben, schenken or zeigen, the person is in the dative and the thing is in the accusative: Ich gebe dem Kind einen Apfel.
Want to understand the cases once and for all? Our A1 German course builds them up step by step, with exercises for each one.
