What are Two-Way Prepositions?
In German, two-way prepositions (Wechselpräpositionen) can take either the accusative or dative case depending on the context:
- Use the accusative case when there is **movement** towards a destination.
- Use the dative case when indicating **location** or **no movement**.
Common Two-Way Prepositions
| German Preposition |
English Translation |
Example Usage |
| an | on (vertical) / at | an der Wand (on the wall) |
| auf | on (horizontal) / on top of | auf dem Tisch (on the table) |
| hinter | behind | hinter dem Haus (behind the house) |
| in | in / into | im Zimmer (in the room) |
| neben | next to | neben dem Stuhl (next to the chair) |
| über | over / above | über dem Bett (above the bed) |
| unter | under / below | unter dem Tisch (under the table) |
| vor | in front of / before | vor der Tür (in front of the door) |
| zwischen | between | zwischen den Stühlen (between the chairs) |
Examples of Two-Way Prepositions in Sentences
1. Ich hänge das Bild an die Wand. (I am hanging the picture on the wall.) [Accusative]
2. Das Bild hängt an der Wand. (The picture is hanging on the wall.) [Dative]
3. Er stellt den Stuhl hinter den Tisch. (He places the chair behind the table.) [Accusative]
4. Der Stuhl steht hinter dem Tisch. (The chair is behind the table.) [Dative]
5. Ich gehe in das Zimmer. (I am going into the room.) [Accusative]
6. Ich bin im Zimmer. (I am in the room.) [Dative]
Additional Notes
Remember: If there is movement towards a goal (e.g., placing something somewhere), use the **accusative case**. If there is no movement and the object is just located somewhere, use the **dative case**.