TOPIC · Prepositions (Präpositionen)

Prepositions used with the Genitive in German

B1B2

After this lesson, you will be able to use common prepositions with genitive in German and form your own sentences.

Prepositions with Genitive in German

In German, certain prepositions require the genitive case. These prepositions help express relationships between objects, people, or concepts. In this lesson, we will look at some of the most common prepositions used with the genitive and discuss their usage.

Common Prepositions with Genitive

Here are some of the most frequently used prepositions that take the genitive case, along with examples:

PrepositionMeaningExampleTranslation
abseitslocal (place)Abseits des Weges gibt es viele Blumen.Off the path, there are many flowers.
angesichtscausal (reason)Angesichts der Lage müssen wir schnell handeln.In light of the situation, we must act quickly.
anhandmodal - instrumental (method)Anhand dieses Berichts kann ich das Problem lösen.Based on this report, I can solve the problem.
anlässlichcausal/temporal (reason/time)Anlässlich seines Geburtstags gibt es ein Fest.On the occasion of his birthday, there is a party.
anstellealternative (replacement)Anstelle der alten Möbel kauften wir neue.Instead of the old furniture, we bought new ones.
außerhalblocal (place), temporal (time)Außerhalb der Stadt gibt es schöne Natur.Outside the city, there is beautiful nature.
bezüglichcausal (reason)Bezüglich der neuen Regelung gibt es noch Fragen.Regarding the new regulation, there are still questions.
trotzconcessive (concession)Trotz des Regens gingen wir spazieren.Despite the rain, we went for a walk.

Usage in Sentences

Using genitive prepositions often requires an understanding of context:

  • Abseits des Weges: This means that something is not on the path but next to it.
  • Trotz des Regens: Here, the use indicates that an action is occurring despite a negative condition (rain).

Conclusion

Genitive prepositions are essential for forming clear and precise statements in German. Learning how to use these prepositions will help improve your expression in the German language.

Exercise

Try creating your own sentences using the prepositions listed above. Make sure to use the correct genitive form.