German Cases: The Complete Guide
German has four grammatical cases that change how articles, adjectives, and pronouns are declined. Understanding cases is essential for speaking German correctly.
Overview: The Four Cases
| Case | Usage | Beispiel / Example |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | Subject | Der Mann liest. |
| Accusative | Direct Object | Ich sehe den Mann. |
| Dative | Indirect Object | Ich gebe dem Mann das Buch. |
| Genitive | Possession | Das Buch des Mannes. |
Nominativ (Nominative Case)
The nominative case marks the subject of a sentence - the person or thing performing the action.
Der Mann liest ein Buch.
The man reads a book.
When to Use Nominativ
- Subject of any sentence: Who or what is doing the action
- After "sein" (to be) and "werden" (to become)
Das ist ein guter Freund.
That is a good friend.
Remember
The nominative is the "dictionary form" - it's what you'll find when looking up a noun.
Akkusativ (Accusative Case)
The accusative marks the direct object - what is directly affected by the action.
Ich sehe den Mann.
I see the man.
When to Use Akkusativ
- Direct objects: What receives the action directly
- After accusative prepositions: durch, für, gegen, ohne, um, bis, entlang
- With two-way prepositions indicating motion toward a destination
Sie geht durch den Park.
She walks through the park.
Akkusativ Article Changes
Definite Article
| Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der | die | das | die |
| Accusative | den | die | das | die |
| Dative | dem | der | dem | den |
| Genitive | des | der | des | der |
Only masculine articles change in the accusative: der → den, ein → einen. Feminine, neuter, and plural stay the same!
Dativ (Dative Case)
The dative marks the indirect object - who receives the direct object or benefits from the action.
Ich gebe dem Mann das Buch.
I give the book to the man.
When to Use Dativ
- Indirect objects: To whom something is given/said/shown
- After dative prepositions: aus, außer, bei, gegenüber, mit, nach, seit, von, zu
- After certain verbs: helfen, danken, gefallen, gehören, folgen, antworten
- With two-way prepositions indicating location (no motion)
Das Buch gehört meiner Schwester.
The book belongs to my sister.
Dativ Article Changes
| Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Definite | dem | der | dem | den (+n) |
| Indefinite | einem | einer | einem | — |
Don't Forget!
In the dative plural, nouns add -n if they don't already end in -n or -s: "den Kindern", "den Häusern"
Genitiv (Genitive Case)
The genitive shows possession - whose something is.
Das ist das Auto des Mannes.
That is the man's car.
When to Use Genitiv
- Possession: Whose something belongs to
- After genitive prepositions: wegen, trotz, während, statt, innerhalb, außerhalb
Trotz des Regens gehen wir spazieren.
Despite the rain, we go for a walk.
Genitiv Article Changes
| Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Definite | des (+s/es) | der | des (+s/es) | der |
| Indefinite | eines (+s/es) | einer | eines (+s/es) | — |
Masculine and neuter nouns in the genitive usually add -s (des Autos) or -es for words ending in s, ß, x, z (des Hauses).
Complete Article Declension
Definite Article
| Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der | die | das | die |
| Accusative | den | die | das | die |
| Dative | dem | der | dem | den |
| Genitive | des | der | des | der |
Indefinite Article
| Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | ein | eine | ein | — |
| Accusative | einen | eine | ein | — |
| Dative | einem | einer | einem | — |
| Genitive | eines | einer | eines | — |
Quick Tips for Remembering Cases
The Accusative Rule
If you can replace the noun with "him/her/it" in English, it's probably accusative. "I see him" → Ich sehe ihn.
The Dative Rule
If you can add "to" or "for" before the noun in English, it's probably dative. "I give (to) him the book" → Ich gebe ihm das Buch.
The Genitive Rule
If you can use "'s" or "of" in English, it's genitive. "The man's car" / "The car of the man" → Das Auto des Mannes.
Practice Makes Perfect
Now that you understand the four German cases, it's time to practice! The best way to internalize case usage is through repeated practice with real examples.