Cases Flashcards
When is the dative used?
The dative case describes the indirect object of a sentence in German and English and answers the question, “wem?” (whom), or “was?” (what).
How does the word “the” change in the dative?
To dem (M), der (F), den (P) and dem (N).
How does the word “a” change in the dative?
To einem (M, N), and einer (F).
List the prepositions that take the dative case.
aus (out) auβer (besides) bei (next to) mit (with) nach (after) seit (since) von (from) zu (to) gegenüber (opposite).
List the verbs that take the dative case.
antworten (to answer) danken (to thank) glauben (to believe) helfen (to help) gehören (belong to) gefallen (to like)
When do we use the genitive?
The genitive case indicates possession and answers the question “wessen?” or “whose?”
When can you most often expect to use or see the genitive?
You’ll see the genitive case most often in written German. In spoken German, you’ll hear von (from)and the dative case instead of the genitive case.
Which prepositions always take the genitive?
anstatt (instead of) außerhalb (outside of) innerhalb (inside of) trotz (despite) während (during) wegen (because of)
What is a common trap with genitive prepositions?
In written speech, the dative is simply used instead.
Name the four cases.
Nominative, accusative, genitive, dative.
Put simply, when is the nominative case used?
For the subject of a sentence.
Generally, where in a sentence can you find the subject?
At the start.
Name the subject of the sentence: das Mädchen singt das Lied.
Das Mädchen.
Name the subject of the sentence: ich kaufe Sportschuhe
Ich.
Name the subject of the sentence: meine Tante wohnt in Ulm
Meine Tante.
What verbs is the nominative always used after?
Sein (to be), werden (to become) and heißen (to be called).
Name the subject of the sentence: Einstein war ein genialer Physiker. – Einstein was a brilliant physicist.
Einstein and ein genialer Physiker are the same person, so both are the subject.
Simply stated, how are articles used in the nominative altered?
They are not: they are the originals.
When is the accusative used?
You use the accusative for the direct object of the sentence.
Define a direct object.
The direct object is the person or thing having the action done to it (by the subject).
What is the difference between a direct object and an indirect object?
The direct object is the thing that the subject acts upon, so in that last sentence, “cereal” is the direct object; it’s the thing Jake ate. An indirect object is an optional part of a sentence; it’s the recipient of an action.
How do articles in the accusative case transform?
Masculine articles are transformed from -er to -en.
What is the nominative (subject) and what is the accusative (object) in: Ihre Mutter mag meinen Zwiebelkuchen. – Her mother likes my onion tart.
Ihre Mutter [nominative] mag meinen Zwiebelkuchen [accusative] – Her mother likes my onion tart.
What is the nominative (subject) and what is the accusative (object) in: Die Aprikosen haben zwei Euro gekostet. – The apricots cost two euros.
Die Aprikosen [nominative] haben zwei Euro gekostet. – The apricots cost two euros.
Jeden Tag kaufe ich die Pommes.
Jeden Tag kaufe ich [nominative] die Pommes [accusative]. – I buy the chips every day.
How do articles in the genitive case transform?
Masculine des eines/keines
Feminine der einer/keiner
Neuter des eines/keines
Plural der ––––/keiner
Name the elements to the sentence, er hat seinem Bruder eine Geschichte erzählt. – He told his brother a story.
Er, so he is the subject.
eine Geschichte, so a story is the direct object.
seinem Bruder, so a his brother is the indirect object.
Highlight the dative: ich schenkte meiner Mutter (f) ein T-Shirt. – I gave (to) my Mum a T-shirt.
Meiner Mutter.
What is me in the dative case?
Mir
What is you in the dative case?
Dir.
What is him in the dative case?
Ihm.
What is it in the dative case?
Ihm.
What is us in the dative case?
Uns.
What is you (p) in the dative case?
Euch.
What is them in the dative case?
Ihnen.
Fill the gap: Til schenkte __________ Freundin (f) ein Poster von Berlin.
Til schenkte seiner Freundin ein Poster von Berlin.
Fill in the gap: Sie konnte _____ Mann (m) nicht helfen. – She could not help the man.
Sie konnte dem Mann nicht helfen.
