Brottin

TOPIC · Sentence structure & conjunctions

Position of the direct object and indirect object in German

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After this lesson you can confidently choose the correct position of Dativ- and Akkusativobjekte in German sentences.

In many German sentences you have two objects: an Akkusativobjekt (direct object) and a Dativobjekt (indirect object). To sound natural, you must place them in the correct order.

Quick reminder: direct and indirect object

  • Direktes Objekt (Akkusativobjekt): answers „wen?“ (whom?) or „was?“ (what?)
    • Example: Ich kaufe einen Computer. (What do I buy? → einen Computer.)
  • Indirektes Objekt (Dativobjekt): answers „wem?“ (to whom?/for whom?)
    • Example: Ich kaufe meiner Schwester einen Computer. (To whom do I buy something? → meiner Schwester.)

Typical verbs with both objects: geben, schenken, schicken, bringen, zeigen, erklären, schreiben, sagen, leihen.

Basic rule with nouns: Dativ before Akkusativ

If both objects are nouns (or noun phrases), the Dativobjekt normally comes before the Akkusativobjekt.

StructureExampleMeaning
Subject – verb – Dativ – AkkusativIch gebe dem Kind den Ball.„dem Kind“ is Dativ, „den Ball“ is Akkusativ
Subject – verb – Dativ – AkkusativWir schicken unseren Freunden eine E-Mail.„unseren Freunden“ Dativ, „eine E-Mail“ Akkusativ

You might sometimes hear a different order, but Dativ vor Akkusativ is the neutral, safest option.

With pronouns: Akkusativ before Dativ

If both objects are personal pronouns, the Akkusativobjekt almost always comes before the Dativobjekt:

StructureExampleMeaning
Subject – verb – Akkusativpronomen – DativpronomenIch gebe es ihm.„es“ = direct object, „ihm“ = indirect object
Subject – verb – Akkusativpronomen – DativpronomenWir zeigen sie euch.„sie“ = direct object, „euch“ = indirect object

Ich gebe ihm es. is grammatically possible but sounds wrong in normal modern German.

Mixed: one pronoun, one noun

If one object is a pronoun and the other a noun, the rule is:

  1. The personal pronoun comes before the noun, no matter if it is Dativ or Akkusativ.
StructureExampleMeaning
Subject – verb – Dativpronomen – AkkusativnomenIch gebe ihm das Buch.Pronoun „ihm“ before „das Buch“
Subject – verb – Akkusativpronomen – DativnomenIch gebe es dem Mann.Pronoun „es“ before „dem Mann“
  1. Only when both objects are nouns we go back to Dativ vor Akkusativ:
StructureExampleMeaning
Subject – verb – Dativnomen – AkkusativnomenIch gebe dem Mann das Buch.neutral, standard order

Position in subordinate clauses

In subordinate clauses (with weil, dass, wenn etc.), the order of the objects stays exactly the same; only the verb moves to the end:

Main clauseSubordinate clauseMeaning
Ich gebe dem Kind den Ball.…, weil ich dem Kind den Ball gebe.same object order
Ich gebe es ihm.…, weil ich es ihm gebe.same object order

The most important ideas: personal pronouns as early as possible, then nouns; and with two nouns Dativ before Akkusativ.