Introduction to Verben mit Präpositionen
In German, some verbs are always or commonly used with specific prepositions. These prepositions often indicate a particular case, such as the Dativ (dative) or Akkusativ (accusative) case. Learning these verbs and their prepositions is essential for constructing correct sentences and understanding their meaning.
Common Verbs with Prepositions (Dativ)
The following verbs are often used with the dative case:
| Verb + Preposition |
Meaning |
Example |
| warten auf |
to wait for |
Ich warte auf dich. (I am waiting for you.) |
| helfen bei |
to help with |
Ich helfe dir bei den Hausaufgaben. (I help you with homework.) |
| sprechen mit |
to talk with |
Er spricht mit seiner Mutter. (He talks with his mother.) |
| träumen von |
to dream of |
Sie träumt von einer Reise. (She dreams of a trip.) |
| erzählen von |
to talk about |
Er erzählt von seinem Urlaub. (He talks about his vacation.) |
Common Verbs with Prepositions (Akkusativ)
The following verbs are often used with the accusative case:
| Verb + Preposition |
Meaning |
Example |
| denken an |
to think about |
Ich denke an dich. (I think about you.) |
| sich freuen auf |
to look forward to |
Er freut sich auf den Urlaub. (He is looking forward to the vacation.) |
| hoffen auf |
to hope for |
Sie hofft auf gutes Wetter. (She hopes for good weather.) |
| sich interessieren für |
to be interested in |
Wir interessieren uns für Musik. (We are interested in music.) |
| sorgen für |
to care for |
Er sorgt für seine Familie. (He cares for his family.) |
Practice Sentences with Verben mit Präpositionen
Here are some additional sentences. Try to understand the meaning and identify the correct case:
- Ich erinnere mich an den Urlaub. (I remember the vacation.)
- Sie freut sich über das Geschenk. (She is happy about the gift.)
- Wir träumen von einer besseren Zukunft. (We dream of a better future.)
- Er denkt über das Problem nach. (He thinks about the problem.)
- Ich warte auf den Bus. (I am waiting for the bus.)