Language/German/Grammar/Two-Way-Prepositions

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German Grammar → Prepositions → Two-Way Prepositions

As a German language teacher for over 20 years, I know that prepositions are one of the most challenging aspects of German grammar for English speakers. Prepositions can be used in different ways, depending on their context in a sentence. In this lesson, we will focus on the concept of two-way prepositions and how to use them correctly in German sentences.

Consider exploring these related pages after completing this lesson: 0 to A1 Course & Nouns.

Two-Way Prepositions

Two-way prepositions are prepositions that can be used with either the accusative or dative case, depending on the context. The nine most commonly used two-way prepositions in German are:

an (at, on, to)
auf (on, onto)
hinter (behind)
in (in, into)
neben (next to, beside)
über (over, above)
unter (under, below)
vor (in front of, before)
zwischen (between)

Using the correct case for two-way prepositions can be challenging, but there are some rules that can help:

Accusative or Dative?

To determine whether to use the accusative or dative case with a two-way preposition, you need to ask yourself two questions:

1. Is there movement involved? 2. If so, is the movement directed towards or away from the noun?

If there is no movement involved, then the preposition is followed by the dative case. If there is movement involved, then you need to determine if the movement is directed towards or away from the noun. If the movement is towards the noun, then the preposition is followed by the accusative case. If the movement is away from the noun, then the preposition is followed by the dative case.

Here are some examples to see this in practice:

Die Katze liegt **auf dem** Tisch. (The cat is lying **on the** table.) - dative
Ich lege das Buch **auf den** Tisch. (I put the book **on the** table.) - accusative
Er geht **in das** Haus. (He goes **into the** house.) - accusative
Sie ist **in dem** Haus. (She is **in the** house.) - dative

Common Expressions with Two-Way Prepositions

There are many expressions in German that use two-way prepositions. Take a look at the following table for some common expressions and their translations:

German	Pronunciation	English
sich verlieben in	zikh fer-lye-ben in	to fall in love with
sich freuen über	zikh froy-en ub-er	to be happy about
sprechen über	shpre-khen ub-er	to talk about
warten auf	var-ten owf	to wait for
denken an	den-ken ann	to think of
nachdenken über	naHk-den-ken ub-er	to think carefully about

Conclusion

Two-way prepositions can be difficult, but with practice and the understanding of the rules, you can master them! Remember to ask yourself if there is movement involved and whether that movement is directed towards or away from the noun in question. Use the above expressions and start practicing your grammar skills!

Sources

Finished this lesson? Check out these related lessons: Gender and Articles & How to Use Be.

Table of Contents - German Course - 0 to A1

Course Presentation

Basic Sentence Structures

Greetings and Introduction

Definite and Indefinite Articles

Numbers, Dates and Time

Verbs and Conjugation

Family and Friends

Prepositions

Food and Drinks

Germany and German-Speaking Countries

Pronouns and Possessives

Travel and Transportation

Modal Verbs

Shopping and Clothes

Music and Entertainment

Adjectives

Health and Body

Time and Temporal Prepositions

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German	Pronunciation	English
sich verlieben in	zikh fer-lye-ben in	to fall in love with
sich freuen über	zikh froy-en ub-er	to be happy about
sprechen über	shpre-khen ub-er	to talk about
warten auf	var-ten owf	to wait for
denken an	den-ken ann	to think of
nachdenken über	naHk-den-ken ub-er	to think carefully about