German Cases Flashcards
What are the four cases in German?
- nominative
- accusative
- genitive
- dative
What is the nominative case used for?
- the subject of the sentence
- after verbs like sein, werden
Translate to German
The girl sings
Das Mädchen singt
Mädchen is the subject
Translate to German
The cat is sleeping
Die Katze schläft
Katze is the subject
Translate to German
He is a good teacher
Er ist ein guter Lehrer
Lehrer is being used with sein
Translate to German
This will be a sweater
Das wird ein Pullover
Pullover is being used with werden
What is the accusative case used for?
- the direct object of the sentence
- after certain prepositions
- after certain prepositions with movement;
- expressions of time and place
- set expressions
Translate to German
I see the dog
Ich sehe den Hund
Hund is the direct object
Translate to German
He sang a song
Er hat ein Lied gesungen
Lied is the direct object
Translate to German
It’s for his girlfriend
Es ist für seine Freundin
The preposition für takes the accusative case
Translate to German
It’s difficult without a car
Es ist schwierig ohne einen Wagen
The preposition ohne takes the accusative case
Translate to German
I got sick because of smoking
Durch das Rauchen wurde ich krank
The preposition durch takes the accusative case
Translate to German
Put your bike next to my car
Stell dein Rad neben mein Auto
The preposition neben takes the accusative case with movement
Translate to German
They put a board over the hole
Sie legten ein Brett über das Loch
The preposition über takes the accusative case with movement
Translate to German
She does this every Thursday
Das macht sie jeden Donnerstag
Many expressions of time and place take the accusative case
Translate to German
The school is one kilometer away
Die Schule ist einen Kilometer entfernt
Many expressions of time and place take the accusative case
Translate to German
Good evening
Guten Abend
Some set expressions take the accusative case
Translate to German
Thank you
Vielen Dank
Some set expressions take the accusative case
What is the genitive case used for?
- to show who owns something
- after certain prepositions
- some expressions of time
Translate to German
The woman’s car was red
Das Auto der Frau war rot
Frau is in the genitive case to show ownership
Translate to German
Because of the bad weather
Wegen des schlechten Wetters
The preposition wegen takes the genitive case
Translate to German
Despite her illness, she goes for a walk every day
Trotz ihrer Krankheit geht sie jeden Tag spazieren
The preposition trotz takes the genitive case
Translate to German
someday
eines Tages
Some expressions of time use the genitive case
What is the dative case used for?
- the indirect object of the sentence
- after certain verbs
- after certain prepositions
- after certain prepositions with position
- expressions of time and place
- set expressions
Translate to German
He gave the book to the man
Er gab dem Mann das Buch
dem Mann is the indirect object
Translate to German
He helps his mother around the house
Er hilft seiner Mutter im Haushalt
The verb helfen takes the dative
Translate to German
After dinner we went for a walk
Nach dem Essen gingen wir spazieren
The preposition nach takes the dative case
Translate to German
I’m sitting next to the window
Ich sitze neben dem Fenster
The preposition neben takes the dative case
Translate to German
The cat was under the table
Die Katze lag unter dem Tisch
The preposition unter takes the dative case withe position
Translate to German
I’m cold
Mir ist kalt
Certain expressions take the dative case
Translate to German
I washed my hair
Ich habe mir die Haare gewaschen
Instead of a poss adjectives, a dative pronoun is used with body parts
Translate to German
Take off your jacket
Zieh deine Jacke aus
Instead of a possesive adjectives, a dative pronoun is used with clothes
What are the nominative definite articles?
- der (masc)
- die (fem)
- das (neut)
What are the nominative indefinite articles?
- ein (masc)
- eine (fem)
- ein (neut)
Translate to German
the car
der Wagen
The nominative masculine definite article is der
Translate to German
a car
ein Wagen
The nominative masculine indefinite article is ein
Translate to German
the can
die Dose
The nominative feminine definite article is die
Translate to German
a can
eine Dose
The nominative feminine indefinite article is eine
Translate to German
the song
das Lied
The nominative neuter definite article is das
Translate to German
a song
ein Lied
The nominative neuter indefinite article is ein
What are the accusative definite articles?
- den (masc)
- die (fem)
- das (neut)
What are the accusative indefinite articles?
- einen (masc)
- eine (fem)
- ein (neut)
Translate to German
the car (accusative)
den Wagen
The accusative masculine definite article is den
Translate to German
a car (accusative)
einen Wagen
The accusative masculine indefinite article is einen
Translate to German
the can (accusative)
die Dose
The accusative feminine definite article is die
Translate to German
a can (accusative)
eine Dose
The accusative feminine indefinite article is eine
Translate to German
the song (accusative)
das Lied
The accusative neuter definite article is das
Translate to German
a song (accusative)
ein Lied
the accusative neuter indefinite article is ein
What are the genitive definite articles?
- des (masc)
- der (fem)
- des (neut)
What are the genitive indefinite articles?
- eines (masc)
- einer (fem)
- eines (neut)
Translate to German
the car (genitive)
des Wagens
The genitive masc definite article is des, plus s/es is added to noun
Translate to German
a car (genitive)
eines Wagens
The genitive masc indef article is eines, plus s/es is added to noun
Translate to German
the can (genitive)
der Dose
The genitive feminine definite article is der
Translate to German
a can (genitive)
einer Dose
The genitive feminine indefinite article is einer
Translate to German
the song (genitive)
des Liedes
The gen neut definite article is des, s/es is generally added to noun
Translate to German
a song (genitive)
eines Liedes
The gen neut indef article is eines, s/es is generally added to noun
What are the dative definite articles?
- dem (masc)
- der (fem)
- dem (neut)
What are the dative indefinite articles?
- einem (masc)
- einer (fem)
- einem (neut)
Translate to German
the car (dative)
dem Wagen
The dative masculine definite article is dem
Translate to German
a car (dative)
einem Wagen
The dative masculine indefinite article is einem
Translate to German
the can (dative)
der Dose
The dative feminine definite article is der
Translate to German
a can (dative)
einer Dose
The dative feminine indefinite article is einer
Translate to German
the song (dative)
dem Lied
The dative neuter definite article is dem
Translate to German
a song (dative)
einem Lied
The dative neuter indefinite article is einem
