TOPIC · Prepositions (Präpositionen)

Distinguishing Temporal Prepositions Used with Dativ

B1B2

After this lesson, you'll be able to accurately use and differentiate temporal prepositions in the dative case in German.

In this lesson, we will explore the use of temporal prepositions in German that require the dative case. These prepositions help indicate specific points in time or periods. The prepositions we will focus on include: an, aus, bei, in, nach, vor, zwischen, ab, seit, bis, and von... bis zu.

1. Using the Preposition "an"

The preposition "an" is used to denote specific points in time or days. Examples of its usage include:

am Morgen (in the morning)
am Montag (on Monday)
an Weihnachten (on Christmas)
am 1. Mai (on May 1st)

Preposition	Example	Translation
an	Wir treffen uns an Weihnachten.	We meet on Christmas.

2. Using the Preposition "aus"

"Aus" describes a starting point in time, often referring to periods in the past:

Preposition	Example	Translation
aus	Diese Tradition stammt aus dem 18. Jahrhundert.	This tradition comes from the 18th century.

3. Using the Preposition "bei"

"Bei" is used to express simultaneous actions:

Preposition	Example	Translation
bei	Ich höre Musik bei der Arbeit.	I listen to music while working.

4. Using the Preposition "in"

"In" indicates future points or time periods:

Preposition	Example	Translation
in	In zwei Tagen beginne ich die neue Arbeit.	In two days I start the new job.

5. Using the Preposition "nach"

"Nach" indicates a sequence of events:

Preposition	Example	Translation
nach	Nach dem Film gehen wir essen.	After the movie we will go out to eat.

6. Using the Preposition "vor"

"Vor" is used to express what happens before a specific event or time:

Preposition	Example	Translation
vor	Ich mache meine Hausaufgaben vor dem Abendessen.	I do my homework before dinner.

7. Using the Preposition "zwischen"

"Zwischen" describes a space or time between two points:

Preposition	Example	Translation
zwischen	Die Schule ist zwischen der Bibliothek und dem Park.	The school is between the library and the park.

8. Using the Preposition "ab"

"Ab" indicates a starting point at the current moment:

Preposition	Example	Translation
ab	Ab Montag bin ich im Urlaub.	From Monday I will be on vacation.

9. Using the Preposition "seit"

"Seit" indicates how long something has been happening:

Preposition	Example	Translation
seit	Ich lerne Deutsch seit einem Jahr.	I have been learning German for a year.

10. Using the Preposition "bis"

"Bis" indicates an end time:

Preposition	Example	Translation
bis	Wir bleiben bis nächste Woche.	We'll stay until next week.

11. Using the Preposition "von... bis zu"

This construction describes a period from a start point to an end point:

Preposition	Example	Translation
von... bis zu	Ich arbeite von 9 bis zu 17 Uhr.	I work from 9 to 5 o'clock.