Akkusativ and Dativ: differences, examples and exercises

What’s the difference between Akkusativ and Dativ

Akkusativ (accusative) and Dativ (dative) are two German cases. They show how a word relates to the verb or to a preposition. They are not new genders: the noun keeps its gender while its articles, some pronouns and other endings change.

With many verbs, Akkusativ marks the direct object: Ich kaufe einen Apfel. (“I’m buying an apple”). In a sentence with geben, Dativ usually identifies the recipient: Ich gebe dem Kind einen Apfel. (“I give the child an apple”).

These ideas help you get started, but the case must be learned with the verb. Helfen takes Dativ: Ich helfe dem Mann. (“I help the man”). Translating from English isn’t enough.

Table of definite articles

In Akkusativ, the most visible change in this table is der → den. In Dativ, every column changes. In the Dativ plural, the noun usually adds -n if its plural doesn’t already end in -n or -s: mit den Kindern, but mit den Autos.

If you need to remember the gender before choosing the case, review der, die, das.

Verbs and prepositions that take a case

Learn small units with an example:

• sehen + Akkusativ: Ich sehe den Zug. (“I see the train”).
• helfen + Dativ: Ich helfe der Frau. (“I help the woman”).
• für + Akkusativ: Das ist für den Lehrer. (“That’s for the teacher”).
• mit + Dativ: Ich fahre mit dem Bus. (“I go by bus”).

Other common prepositions are ohne with Akkusativ and aus, bei, nach, von and zu with Dativ. They don’t change case just because there is movement.

Location and destination with two-way prepositions

The nine two-way prepositions are an, auf, hinter, in, neben, über, unter, vor and zwischen. In their spatial use, Dativ expresses where something is or happens; Akkusativ expresses where something goes or is put.

• Das Kind spielt im Garten. The child plays in the garden: location, Dativ. Im stands for in dem.
• Das Kind geht in den Garten. The child goes into the garden: destination, Akkusativ.
• Das Kind läuft im Garten. The child runs around inside the garden: there is movement, but we’re still describing the location, so it stays Dativ.

The rule is not “movement = Akkusativ”. Tell location and destination apart, and use this only where the preposition allows both cases.

Also compare Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch. (“The book is lying on the table”) with Ich lege das Buch auf den Tisch. (“I put the book on the table”).

How to decide without guessing

1. Check whether a preposition determines the case.
2. If it’s a spatial two-way preposition, tell location and destination apart.
3. If there’s no preposition, check which case the verb takes.
4. Identify gender and number and choose the form of the article.

Time expressions and verbs with fixed prepositions have their own uses to learn; the question “where?” doesn’t explain every Dativ.

Akkusativ and Dativ exercises

Fill in the definite article:

1. Ich sehe ___ Hund.
2. Ich helfe ___ Frau.
3. Wir fahren mit ___ Bus.
4. Das Buch liegt auf ___ Tisch.
5. Ich lege das Buch auf ___ Tisch.
6. Die Kinder laufen in ___ Park. You mean they are running around inside the park.

Show answers and explanations

1. den Hund: sehen takes an Akkusativ object; Hund is masculine.
2. der Frau: helfen takes Dativ; Frau is feminine.
3. dem Bus: mit takes Dativ, even though the sentence describes a journey.
4. dem Tisch: it expresses where the book is.
5. den Tisch: it expresses where you put the book.
6. dem Park: running inside the park expresses location, not going into the park.

When you add an adjective, you’ll also need its ending. Continue with adjective endings.