Jens Olesen
Nov 26, 20204 min
Updated: Jan 10
Among the many facets of German grammar, two-way prepositions (also known as "dual prepositions") stand out as both fascinating and challenging. In this blog post, we'll delve into the realm of two-way prepositions, providing you with the key insights to confidently navigate these linguistic elements. Whether you're a beginner navigating the basics or a seasoned learner seeking a deeper comprehension, this exploration will serve as your guide through the linguistic intricacies of German grammar.
When it comes to unraveling the intricacies of German grammar, the terrain of prepositions can be both challenging and captivating. Unlike some German language tutors, I prefer to separate the teaching of the four cases in German (i.e. nominative, accusative, dative, genitive) from prepositions. This approach stems from the belief that understanding the distinct logic of each enhances the comprehension of both. My advice is to learn the cases system first before you continue with my explanation on dual prepositions. That is because prepositions enforce their own rules and take a particular case. If you have a preposition before a noun, this noun no longer performs the function of a direct or indirect object but its case is determined by the preposition.
The Essence of Two-Way Prepositions:
Understanding the case of two-way prepositions hinges on the accompanying verb. The dichotomy between accusative and dative hinges on whether the action implies a change of location or not. Key verbs include:
Keeping your eyes on the verbs, let's now look at the nine dual prepositions with some examples.
As you can see from the examples, with the prepositions "an" and "in" we often combine article and preposition (e.g. "ins" for "in das", "im" for "in dem", "am" for an dem"). These two prepositions can be used as temporal and spatial prepositions in German. However, when they are used in a temporal sense, they only go with the dative case since time does not change location. This also explains why the two temporal meanings of "vor" (before and ago) take the dative as well.
By contrast, the second translation of "über" as "about" doesn't imply a change of location either, but it takes the accusative case because the rule doesn't apply here. In fact, it is used in combination with verbs such as "sprechen", "reden", "diskutieren" that take the accusative case for introducing the topic of the conversation (e.g. "Wir sprechen heute über die Wechselpräpositionen"). Frustratingly perhaps, many other German verbs with prepositions don't follow the aforementioned rules and simply need to be memorised with the preposition and case they take.
English speakers, beware of the subtle nuances in translating "on" into German, as the contexts vary. In English, "on" can be used in many different contexts and couldn't be translated as "auf" into German.
I'm on the bus vs. Ich bin im Haus ("auf" would imply on top of the bus).
I'm on the phone vs. Ich bin am Telefon ("auf" would suggest that you're standing on top of the phone).
Some verbs are not specific enough and can therefore be used with both cases. "Fahren" and "fliegen", for example, don't necessarily imply a change of location.
Das Auto fährt auf die Straße vs. Das Auto fährt auf der Straße
Die Vögel fliegen über das Haus vs. In diesem Moment Vögel fliegen über dem Haus.
The sentences on the left use the accusative case because the car is coming from somewhere else and drives onto the road and the birds fly from another location over the house. By contrast, with the sentences on the right there is no change of location as the car is already on the road and just travelling along, while the birds are being observed in the very moment they are flying over the house. So the dative case needs to be used for these two sentences. This goes to show that the rule really is whether there is a change of location implied by the verb or not. Misleadingly, some German teachers use movement/no movement as a way of explaining when the accusative and the dative should be used. However, as the examples for "fahren" and fliegen" show, this explanation wouldn't account for verbs that are not specific enough. Both always imply a movement, but not necessarily a change in location.
By now, you will hopefully understand why it is correct to say “ich gehe ins Kino” for two reasons. First, the verb “gehen” implies a change of location, so the accusative needs to be used. Second, “ins” is a combination of “in” and the accusative article “das”, and since Kino is neuter, the sentence is grammatically correct.
As you navigate these linguistic intricacies, you'll discover the beauty of precision in German prepositions.
Stay tuned for a comprehensive exploration of each prepositional realm, unraveling the intricacies of German grammar one layer at a time. For now, let the journey into the realm of two-way prepositions begin!
Learn about accusative prepositions, dative prepositions, and prepositions that go with the genitive case in German in our next three posts on the topic.
On our blog, you will find posts on many topics in German grammar- from adjective endings in German, the difference between aber and sondern in German, to German syntax.