UNIT SIXTEEN
Prepositions
What are prepositions?
Prepositions are words that define the relationship between different
elements in a sentence. They usually appear before a noun and its article
or other determiners and give information about:- directions: He is going toFrankfurt.
- positions: The key is onthe table.
- time: The play starts at8 pm.
- manner: She came bycar.
- reasons: They went for a walk despitethe weather.
Prepositions require different cases
English and German prepositions are very similar in the way they func-
tion. In German however, a word or words which follow a preposition
have to take the appropriate case endings.
Here is an overview of the most commonly used prepositions and the
case they require:Accusative Dative Accusative Genitive
or dative
bisuntil, by ausout of, from anat, near, on stattinstead
durchthrough, by außerapart from, aufon (top of ) of
out of
fürfor hinterbehind trotzdespite
gegenagainst, beiby (near), at inin, to währendduring
around, about gegenüberopposite nebennext to wegenbecause of