Where to place the AKK & DAT objects
When a German sentence has both an accusative and a dative object, their order isn't random — it follows three clear rules based on whether each object is a noun or a pronoun. Learn these three rules once, and you'll never have to guess again.
Rule 1: Noun + Noun → Dative Before Accusative
When both objects are nouns, the dative object comes before the accusative object: Ich schenke meiner Schwester ein Buch. (I'm giving my sister a book.) Here "meiner Schwester" (dative) comes before "ein Buch" (accusative), even though in English the order can feel more flexible.
Rule 2: Pronoun + Noun → Pronoun Always Comes First
If one object is a pronoun and the other is a noun, the pronoun always comes first — regardless of whether it's accusative or dative: Ich schenke ihr ein Buch. (I'm giving her a book — dative pronoun "ihr" before the accusative noun "ein Buch.") Ich schenke es meiner Schwester. (I'm giving it to my sister — accusative pronoun "es" before the dative noun "meiner Schwester.") The pronoun's priority overrides the usual dative-before-accusative rule from Rule 1.
Rule 3: Pronoun + Pronoun → Accusative Before Dative
When both objects are pronouns, the order flips compared to Rule 1: the accusative pronoun now comes before the dative pronoun: Ich schenke es ihr. (I'm giving it to her.) This is the one case where accusative leads — easy to forget if you're used to "dative before accusative" from nouns.
Putting the Three Rules Together
The pattern to remember: nouns follow dative-then-accusative; a mix of pronoun and noun always puts the pronoun first no matter its case; and two pronouns together flip to accusative-then-dative. Once you notice whether you're dealing with nouns, pronouns, or a mix, the correct order follows automatically from these three rules.
Bonus Tip: This Also Applies With Reflexive Pronouns
The same "pronoun comes first" logic extends to reflexive verbs with two objects: Ich kaufe mir ein neues Auto. (I'm buying myself a new car.) Here the reflexive dative pronoun "mir" behaves exactly like any other dative pronoun for word-order purposes — it comes right after the verb, ahead of the accusative noun object.
Frequently Asked Questions
What order do accusative and dative nouns go in?
Dative comes before accusative when both objects are nouns, e.g. "Ich schenke meiner Schwester ein Buch."
What happens when one object is a pronoun and the other is a noun?
The pronoun always comes first, regardless of whether it's accusative or dative — this overrides the usual dative-before-accusative order.
What order do two pronouns go in?
When both objects are pronouns, the order flips: accusative comes before dative, e.g. "Ich schenke es ihr."
Why does the pronoun rule override the noun rule?
German prioritizes keeping pronouns close to the verb for sentence flow, so a pronoun's position takes precedence over the usual case-based ordering that applies to nouns.
Does this word order rule apply to reflexive pronouns too?
Yes — a reflexive dative pronoun like "mir" or "dir" follows the same "pronoun comes first" logic as any other dative pronoun.
Getting word order like this to feel automatic — rather than something you calculate mid-sentence — is exactly what our B1 German Course is built for.
