German Cases: Nominative, Accusative, Dative, Genitive

The subject of the sentence (who or what does the action), and the noun after sein, werden and bleiben. Der Hund schläft. = The dog is sleeping.

The direct object (who or what receives the action). Ich sehe den Hund. = I see the dog.

The indirect object (to or for whom), plus objects of dative prepositions and dative verbs. Ich gebe dem Kind ein Buch. = I give the child a book.

Possession (of), and objects of genitive prepositions like wegen, trotz, während. Das ist das Auto meines Vaters. = That is my father's car.

Only the masculine changes: der → den. den, die, das; plural die

dem (masculine), der (feminine), dem (neuter), den (plural, and the noun adds -n)

des (masculine, noun adds -s or -es), der (feminine), des (neuter, noun adds -s or -es), der (plural)

I'm buying the table. der Tisch → accusative den

We are visiting a friend. ein → einen (masculine accusative)

She has no brother. kein follows the ein pattern: keinen in the masculine accusative.

I'm helping the man. helfen always takes the dative.

The book belongs to the teacher. gehören takes the dative; die → der

He gives the children chocolate. Dative plural: den + noun with -n

How are you? Literally: how does it go for you? du → dir (dative)

I love you. du → dich (accusative)

Can you help me? ich → mir (dative), because helfen takes the dative

I see him every day. er → ihn (accusative)

I'm writing him an email. er → ihm (dative)

durch, für, gegen, ohne, um Mnemonic: DOGFU

aus, außer, bei, mit, nach, seit, von, zu, gegenüber

The gift is for my father. für + accusative

I'm going by bus. mit + dative

She comes from Switzerland. aus + dative; die Schweiz → der

Accusative for movement toward a place (wohin?), dative for location (wo?). an, auf, hinter, in, neben, über, unter, vor, zwischen Ich gehe in die Stadt. / Ich bin in der Stadt.

I'm putting the book on the table. Movement (wohin?) → accusative

The book is lying on the table. Location (wo?) → dative

We're going to the cinema. We're at the cinema. ins = in das (accusative); im = in dem (dative)

That is my brother's car. Genitive masculine: meines + noun with -s

Because of the rain we're staying home. wegen + genitive (in speech often dative)

I have a dog and a cat. haben takes the accusative; only the masculine changes (einen).