Accusative case in German
he accusative case is used to indicate the direct object of a sentence—the entity that receives the action of the verb. Understanding the accusative case is crucial for forming correct sentences in German.
Examples of Accusative Case
- Ich sehe den Hund.
- (“I see the dog.”)
- Here, “den Hund” is the direct object, receiving the action of seeing.
- Sie kauft einen Apfel.
- (“She buys an apple.”)
- In this case, “einen Apfel” is the direct object of the verb “kauft.”
- Wir essen das Brot.
- (“We eat the bread.”)
- “das Brot” is the direct object being eaten.
- Er hat eine Katze.
- (“He has a cat.”)
- “eine Katze” is the direct object of the verb “hat.”
Articles in the Accusative Case
In the accusative case, the articles change, especially for masculine nouns. Here are the important forms:
| Definite Article | Indefinite Article |
|---|---|
| der (masculine) | einen |
| die (feminine) | eine |
| das (neuter) | ein |
| die (plural) | keine |
Examples with Articles:
- Der Mann sieht die Frau.
- (“The man sees the woman.”)
- “die Frau” is the direct object.
- Ich habe ein Buch.
- (“I have a book.”)
- “ein Buch” is the direct object.
- Die Kinder spielen mit den Bällen.
- (“The children play with the balls.”)
- “die Bällen” is in the accusative case as it answers the question “what?”
Pronouns in the Accusative Case
Personal pronouns also change in the accusative case. Here are the forms:
| Subject Pronoun | Accusative Pronoun |
|---|---|
| ich | mich (me) |
| du | dich (you) |
| er | ihn (him) |
| sie | sie (her) |
| es | es (it) |
| wir | uns (us) |
| ihr | euch (you all) |
| sie | sie (them) |
Examples with Pronouns:
- Ich sehe dich.
- (“I see you.”)
- “dich” is in the accusative case.
- Er liebt sie.
- (“He loves her.”)
- “sie” is the direct object.
Prepositions that Take the Accusative
Certain prepositions always require the accusative case. Here are some common ones:
- durch (through)
- für (for)
- gegen (against)
- ohne (without)
- um (around)
Examples with Prepositions:
- Ich gehe durch den Park.
- (“I walk through the park.”)
- “den Park” is in the accusative case.
- Ich kaufe ein Geschenk für dich.
- (“I buy a gift for you.”)
- “dich” is in the accusative case.
Common Pitfalls
- Mixing Cases:
- Remember that not all nouns change in the same way in the accusative case. Only masculine nouns change their articles.
- Using the Wrong Article:
- Be cautious with definite and indefinite articles. Check if the noun is masculine, feminine, or neuter.
- Verbs that Require the Accusative:
- Some verbs specifically take an accusative object. Examples include:
- sehen (to see)
- haben (to have)
- lieben (to love)
- essen (to eat)
- trinken (to drink)
- Some verbs specifically take an accusative object. Examples include:
Example Sentences with Verbs:
- Ich habe einen Hund.
- (“I have a dog.”)
- “einen Hund” is the direct object.
- Wir trinken das Wasser.
- (“We drink the water.”)
- “das Wasser” is the direct object.
Summary
The accusative case is essential for identifying the direct object in a sentence. Practice using it in different contexts to become more familiar with how it functions in German. Understanding the changes in articles, pronouns, and the verbs that require the accusative will greatly improve your German grammar skills!