What's included here
Learn to use five common German accusative prepositions in everyday sentences. These A1 exercises will help you choose the right preposition, recognise accusative article endings and put complete sentences together.
Für dich, ohne meinen Bruder, durch den Park - you'll come across these little expressions all the time in German.
And they all have something in common: they use prepositions that always take the accusative case.
Let's quickly review how they work before putting them into practice.
Grammar Recap: Accusative Prepositions
These five German prepositions always take the accusative case:
| Preposition | Meaning |
|---|---|
| durch | through |
| für | for |
| gegen | against |
| ohne | without |
| um | around / at (a time) |
For example:
Wir gehen durch den Park.
Das Geschenk ist für meinen Bruder.
The most important article change to remember is masculine der → den (and ein → einen).
| Gender | Nominative | Accusative |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine | der Park | den Park |
| Feminine | die Stadt | die Stadt |
| Neuter | das Haus | das Haus |
| Plural | die Kinder | die Kinder |
The same applies to possessives: mein Bruder becomes für meinen Bruder.
For a fuller explanation, read our guide to the German accusative case.
Exercise 1: Choose the Right Preposition
Let's start with meaning.
Choose the preposition that best completes each sentence. Pay attention to the context.
Exercise 2: Choose the Correct Article
Now let's practise the accusative endings.
Choose the correct article after each preposition. Remember that masculine nouns change to den or einen, while feminine, neuter and plural definite articles stay the same.
Exercise 3: Complete the Phrase
This time, you'll need to remember both the preposition and the correct accusative article.
Use the English meaning in brackets to help you choose the preposition. The noun's dictionary article is provided so you can work out the accusative form.
Exercise 4: Build the Sentence
For the final exercise, put the words in the correct order to make a complete German sentence.
Pay attention to where the preposition and accusative noun phrase belong.
Choose words below to build the sentence.
The End
You've practised five useful German accusative prepositions: durch, für, gegen, ohne and um.
The most important rule to remember is simple: these prepositions always take the accusative, regardless of what the sentence is describing.
Once you know the prepositions and their meanings, the main thing to watch is the article ending - especially der → den.
For more practice, explore our other exercises, or start our free German A1 course.