TOPIC · Miscellaneous (Anders)
Cases in German
After this lesson, learners will be able to identify and use the different cases in German.
Cases in German
Cases play a vital role in German because they define the positions of nouns in a sentence and their meanings. A correct identification of cases is the foundation for more advanced grammar structures. In German, there are three genders: masculine (der), feminine (die), and neuter (das) and four cases: Nominative, Genitive, Dative, and Accusative.
What are Cases?
Cases are grammatical categories that affect how nouns, pronouns, and articles are formed. Each case has specific functions and forms.
| Case | Function | Question Words | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | Subject of the sentence | Who?/What? | Der Junge spielt Fußball. | The boy plays football. |
| Genitive | Ownership and belonging | Whose? | Das Buch des Lehrers ist neu. | The teacher's book is new. |
| Dative | Indirect object | To whom? | Ich gebe dem Kind einen Ball. | I give the child a ball. |
| Accusative | Direct object | Whom?/What? | Ich sehe den Hund. | I see the dog. |
The Nominative (1st Case)
The Nominative is used for the subject of a sentence, answering the questions “Who?
Knowledge test
Cases in German
- 1.
Meine Mutter hat eine Katze. eine Katze is in:
- 2.
Dieses Buch gehört meinem Bruder. meinem Bruder is in: