Accusative Prepositions
Learn the accusative prepositions bis, durch, für, gegen, ohne, and um. Distinguish their spatial, temporal, and other meanings and use the correct accusative forms.
Explanation
Prepositions with the accusative
The prepositions **durch, für, gegen, ohne**, and **um** always require the **accusative**. **Bis** often appears without an article; before a noun phrase with an article, it is commonly combined with another preposition, for example **bis zum Bahnhof**.
| Preposition | Typical meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| **bis** | endpoint in time or space | bis Freitag, bis Berlin, bis zum Eingang |
| **durch** | movement through something; means or cause | durch den Wald, durch regelmäßiges Üben |
| **für** | purpose, recipient, duration, or price | für meine Schwester, für zwei Tage, für 30 Euro |
| **gegen** | contact/direction, approximate time, remedy, opposition | gegen die Wand, gegen neun Uhr, gegen Husten, gegen den Vorschlag |
| **ohne** | something or someone is absent | ohne meinen Schlüssel, ohne Zucker |
| **um** | exact clock time; movement around something | um 8 Uhr, um den See |
Accusative forms
| Gender/number | Definite article | Indefinite article |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine | **den** | **einen** |
| Feminine | **die** | **eine** |
| Neuter | **das** | **ein** |
| Plural | **die** | — |
The visible article change is especially important with masculine nouns: use **für den Kurs**, not *für der Kurs*.
Important contrasts
- **um 8 Uhr** is exact; **gegen 8 Uhr** means approximately that time.
- **bis Freitag** has no article; with an article German commonly uses **bis zum Freitag**.
- **durch** can describe a route through a space or a means: **durch den Tunnel**, **durch viel Übung**.
- After **ohne**, general substance nouns may have no article: **Kaffee ohne Milch**.
Exercises
- Choose the correct preposition from the word bank for each sentence. (10)
- Use the cues to write a complete sentence with the correct accusative preposition. (10)
A2 · German · Grammar