Prepositions belong to the auxiliary parts of speech, the task of which is to link words in a sentence by manipulating these words. Prepositions can have a variety of meanings, which can, in particular, have a temporal and spatial connotation. Based on this, such prepositions indicate time and place and, when combined with controlled words, answer the questions “when? – wann?”, “where? – wo?”, “where? - wohin?", "where from? - woher?” and others.

Prepositions of place and time in the German language represent two large groups, along with a third, which includes prepositions whose semantics contain abstract connections.

Prepositions of place in German

Preposition management	Where? — Whoa?	Where? — Wo?	Where? — Woher?
Akkusativ (accusativecase –Akk.)	before - bis, through, through - durch, against - gegen, around, around - um	along - an...entlang, around, all around - um, um...herum
Dativ (dativecase– D.)	(towards) to - nach, (in the direction) to - zu	from - ab, about, at, at, next to, - bei, against gegenü ber(can come before or after the controlled word), from - von … aus	from - aus, from - von
Genitiv (genitive case –G.)		outside, outside - ausserhalb, inside, in - innerhalb
Prepositions with different controls	on, at (vertical surface), about - an, on (horizontal surface) - auf, behind, behind, behind - hinter, along – entlang(can come before or after the controlled word), inside, in - in, near, at, near - neben, above, above - ü ber, below, under - unter, before, in front - vor, between - zwischen

Prepositions with different controls can be distinguished by asking questions to the corresponding phrases: to the question “where?” - wo? will answer dative (Dativ), and to the question “where? - who? – accusative (Akkusativ) case. For example:

• Du musst richtig andeinemTisch sitzen! – You must sit correctly at your desk! (Here the circumstance answers the question “where? – wo?”, and, accordingly, Dativ is used).
• Setz dich an den Tisch und iss dein Abendbrot in Ruhe! – Sit down at the table and eat your dinner in peace! (In this case, the circumstance answers the question “where? – wohin?”, and, accordingly, Akkusativ is used).

The preposition “on the contrary - gegenüber” always comes after a pronoun, and when used with a noun it can either precede or follow it. For example:

• Gegenüber unserem Büro hat man eine moderne Schwimmhalle gebaut. = Unserem Bureau gegenüber hat man eine moderne Schwimmhalle gebaut. – A modern swimming pool was built opposite our office.
• Ihm gegenüber ist ein schöner Wald. — Opposite it is a beautiful forest.

The preposition “along - entlang” is completely special: perhaps it is the only German preposition that has not double, but triple control (Genitiv - Dativ - Akkusativ), for example:

• Sie ging schnell den Fluss entlang(Akk.). “She walked quickly along the river bank.
• Diese Eisenbahn geht entlang dem Tunnel(D.). – This railway was laid along the tunnel.
• Diese Eisenbahn geht Entlang des Tunnels(G.). – This railway was laid along the tunnel.

Prepositions of place in German, using which you can answer the question “where?” –wohin?»

Preposition of place + control
before -bis (Akkusativ)	The meaning of this preposition involves reaching the final destination (“how far? – bis wohin?”). If the word that this final point denotes is used with an article, then another preposition is added to “bis” indicating case, for example: Der Schnellzug fährt bis Spandau, wir fahren biszur Endstation. – The express goes to Spandau, we go to the final stop.
through -durch (Akkusativ)	The meaning of this preposition involves advancement through something (“through what? – wodurch?”). For example: Während unserer Fahrt werden wir durch ein paar lange Tunnels fahren. – During our trip we will pass through several long tunnels.
along– entlang (Genitiv, Dativ, Akkusativ)	This preposition conveys movement parallel to something and generally corresponds to the verb “folgen”. In Genitiv this preposition comes before the controlled word, and in Dativ and Akkusativ it comes after the word it refers to, for example: Die Kinder laufen den Bach entlang. - Children run along the stream. (For other examples, see above).
against, with, on, about –gegen (Akkusativ)	This preposition conveys a movement that ends with some kind of contact with something (“with what? to what? etc. -wogegen?”), for example: Der Kleine lief gegen den Baumstamm. – The kid ran into a tree trunk.
around -um(Akkusativ)	This preposition conveys circular motion, in other words, movement around something (“around what? – worum?”). For example: Um die alte Burg gab es einen tiefen Graben. – There was a deep ditch around the old castle.
V -nach	When using this preposition, an indication of a change in location is given (“where? - wohin?”). The names of countries, continents, parts of the world and cities are used without an article, and when indicating the direction, adverbs are used. For example: Unsere Schüler fahren mit einem Bus nach Erlangen. – Our students will go by bus to Erlangen. Im nächsten Jahr fliegen sie nach Australian. – Next year they will fly to Australia. Der grüne Opel ist nach links eingebogen. – The green Opel turned left.
To -zu	This preposition is used when changing the location of people, to indicate a goal, a place and its data. Nouns are used with articles. For example: Im Sommer fahren wir zu den spanischen Bekannten meines Mannes. – In the summer we will go to my husband’s Spanish friends. Kommt sie zum heutigen Abendessen? – Is she coming to dinner today?
to, to –an (Akkusativ)	This preposition is used in cases when we are talking about trips to all kinds of bodies of water and moving / finding something directly to any vertical surface, for example: Unsere Bekannten haben über ihre Reise an den Stillen Ozean erzählt. – Our friends talked about their trip to the Pacific Ocean (where? – Akkusativ). Er hat die Autoreifen an die Wand geschoben. - He moved the car tires to the wall (where? - Akkusativ).
on -auf (Akkusativ)	This preposition is used to indicate public institutions and events, regions and islands where someone is going. For example: Er geht auf den Innenhof, auf die Gasse, auf die Post, auf den Tennisplatz, auf den Rockkonzert etc. – He goes to the courtyard, to the street (alley), to the post office, to the tennis court, to a rock concert, etc. Er fahrt auf die Datscha, auf die Insel Ibiza etc. – He’s going to the country, to the island of Ibiza, etc.
V -in (Akkusativ)	This preposition is used to indicate regular visits to any places or a trip for a long time to any buildings, organizations, institutions, trips to regions, countries (with articles) to the mountains, as well as to indicate movement into an enclosed space or to any street. For example: Sie geht in die Buchhandlung, in die Sprachschule, in den Dom, in s Werk, in die Bar, in die Universität, in den Park, in die Vorlesung etc. – She goes to a bookstore, a language school, a cathedral, a factory, a bar, a university, a park, a lecture, etc. Er fliegt in die Mongolei, in den Irak, ins Ausland, in das Gebirge, in die Karpaten, in die Altstadt etc. — He goes to Mongolia, Iraq, abroad, to the mountains, to the Carpathians, to the old city, etc. Sie geht in sZimmer, in die Bierstube, in den Weinkeller, in s Bett etc. - She goes to the room, to the pub, to the wine cellar, to the bed, etc. Er ist in die Goethe-Strasse eingebogen. “He turned onto Goethe Street.

Prepositions of place in German, using which you can answer the question “where?” –wo?»

Preposition of place + control	Meaning and features of use
along– an... entlang (Dativ)	The meaning of this preposition contains an indication of the location of something or someone along something. For example: An der Donau entlang liegen viele Städte. – There are many cities along the Danube.
around– um, um… herum (Akkusativ)	This preposition contains an indication of something that is located or happening around something, for example: Unsere Kinder tanzten um die Kokospalme (herum) . – Our children danced around the coconut tree.
from, from –ab (Dativ)	This preposition contains an indication of the starting point, for example: Bis Berlin fahren wir mit dem Auto und ab Berlin fliegen wir nach Oslo. — We will go to Berlin by car, and from Berlin we will fly to Oslo.
at, at, in, on –bei (Dativ)	This preposition is used when it is necessary to indicate the location of a person or object near something, with some people, or to work in some company. For example: Die Stadt Sauerlach befindet sich bei Munich. – The city of Sauerlach is located near Munich. Vorgestern war ich bei Klaus und mein Mann war bei mRechtsanwalt. – The day before yesterday I was with Klaus, and my husband was with the lawyer. Meine Schwester arbeitet bei"Tyssen".
against -gegnüber (Dativ)	This preposition can be placed either before or after the name. When used with pronouns, it always comes after them. For example: Mir gegenü ber steht Frau Salzer aus Koblenz. — Opposite me is Frau Salzer from Koblenz. Die Bank liegt gegenüber seinem Büro. = Die Bank liegt seinem Büro gegenüber. – The bank is located opposite his office.
With, from, from- von...aus (Dativ)	This preposition answers the question from where? – von wo aus? and indicates the beginning, the starting point. For example: Vom Dach unseres Houses aus kann man die Ostsee erblicken. – From the roof of our house you can see the Baltic Sea.
outside, beyond, beyond, beyond –ausserhalb (Dativ)	This preposition indicates that something is outside an enclosed space. For example: Ausserhalb dieser kleinen Stadt gibt es viele Seen. – Outside this small town there are many lakes.
inside, in, within –innerhalb (Dativ	This preposition indicates that something is in a confined space or within some kind of framework. For example: Innerhalb der Altstadt gibt es viele schöne Häuser. – There are many beautiful houses inside the old town.
at, about, at, on –an (Dativ)	This preposition is used in cases where we are talking about being on various bodies of water or when indicating being near any vertical surface. For example: Üblicherweise erholen wir uns am Mittelmeer. — We usually relax on the Mediterranean Sea. An dieser Wand steht eine Couch. – There is a couch against this wall. Die Schüler treffen sich am Zoo. -Students meet at the zoo.
on -auf (Dativ)	This preposition is used to indicate location in public institutions, events, regions and islands. For example: Er ist auf dem Innenhof, auf der Gasse, auf der Post, auf dem Tennisplatz, auf dem Rockkonzert etc. – It is located in the courtyard, on the street (alley), at the post office, on the tennis court, at a rock concert, etc. Er ist auf der Datscha, auf der Insel Ibiza etc. – He is in the country, on the island of Ibiza, etc.
V -in (Dativ)	This preposition is used to indicate a regular or long stay in any places, buildings, organizations, institutions, regions, countries (with articles) in the mountains, as well as to indicate being indoors or on any street. For example: Sie ist in der Buchhandlung, in der Sprachschule, im Dom, im Werk, in der Bar, in der Universität, im Park, in der Vorlesung etc. – It is in a bookstore, a language school, a cathedral, a factory, a bar, a university, a park, a lecture, etc. Er ist in der Mongolei, im Iraq, im Ausland, im Gebirge, in den Karpaten, in der Altstadt etc. — It is located in Mongolia, Iraq, abroad, in the mountains, in the Carpathians, in the old city, etc. Sie ist im Zimmer, in der Bierstube, im Weinkeller, im Bett etc. - It is in the room, in the pub, in the wine cellar, in the bed, etc. Er steht in der Goethe-Strasse. – It stands on Goethe Street.

Prepositions of place in German, using which you can answer the question from where? –woher?

Preposition of place + control	Meaning and features of use
from -aus	This preposition is used in cases where the question “where?” - wo? can be answered using the preposition “in”. This preposition denotes origin or movement from some place. For example: Seine Mutter stammt aus Nordfrankreich. – His mother comes from northern France.
from -von	This preposition is used in cases where the question “where?” - wo? you can answer using the preposition “an, bei, auf, zu.” This preposition indicates the initial spatial point of any movement. For example: Die Kinder commen vom Tennisplatz um 15 Uhr. – The children come from the tennis court at 15.00. Wir sind vom Rhein gekommen. - We came from the Rhine. This preposition can be used to replace “aus” in cases where the speaker wants to emphasize not a place, but a starting point, for example: Wahrscheinlich kommt er aus Prag. — He seems to be from Prague. Er ist gerade von Prag gekommen. – He has just arrived from Prague.

Ministry of Education and Science of the Chelyabinsk Region

State budgetary professional educational institution

"South Ural Multidisciplinary College"

German prepositions

Chelyabinsk, 2017

Ishmurzina G.M. Methodological manual on the German language. - Chelyabinsk: GBPOU "YUUMK", 2015 - 35 p.

This textbook is intended for students studying the German language, in order to provide them with material for consolidating theoretical material, their individual work, as well as for the purpose of independently mastering knowledge and skills when studying the topic “Prepositions” in the German language.

The manual contains general information about prepositions as function words and is structured taking into account the peculiarities and difficulties of German grammar. Prepositions and their control in the dative, accusative and genitive cases, as well as prepositions with mixed control, are covered in detail here. A detailed list of prepositions is provided with their translation into Russian and examples that most clearly illustrate their lexical meaning in a particular sentence. The following is also a list of the most common prepositional verbs and tables with examples of the use of German verbs.

Approved by the Cyclic Methodological Commission (Minutes No. 7 dated April 1, 2017) Chairman of the Central Committee Samsonova O.V.

Content

Page

Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………4

1. Prepositions in German……………………………………………………….5

1.1. Prepositions that do not require a specific case after themselves…….7

1.2. Prepositions that control one case………………………….8

1.3. Prepositions that control two cases…………………………9

2. Merging of prepositions with articles in German……………………….10

3. Place of prepositions in a German sentence…………………………….12

4. Discrepancy between Russian and German prepositions…………………………….12

5. How to easily and simply remember German prepositions?.................................... 15

List of used literature……………………………………........21

7. Applications:…………………………………………………………………………………22

Appendix 1. Management of German verbs (alphabetical index)…..22

Appendix 2.

Table 1.1. Examples of using German prepositions……………......27

Table 1.2. Examples of using German prepositions……………......29

Table 2.1. Prepositions containing only one word…….32

Table 2.2. Prepositions containing several words...........34

Table 2.3. Prepositions that contain several words (prepositional combinations with nouns)………………………………34

Introduction

Prepositions are unchangeable function words and are used to connect words in sentences. Prepositions in German can have one or several different meanings, which is usually determined by the corresponding context. They clarify and specify the nature of the connection between words in a sentence. Prepositions are usually used with a noun, pronoun or adverb.

German prepositions control the corresponding case (or in some cases, two cases) and require the placement of the various temporal, spatial, abstract and other relations of nouns associated with them into a specific grammatical (case) form.

Prepositions in the German language play a very important and significant role. Their main function is to provide connections between individual words or groups of words, thereby creating an integral grammatical unit.

Prepositions in German

German prepositions are diverse, in conjunction with nouns or with words acting as nouns, they can denote place, direction of movement, reason, time, belonging or manner of action.

A preposition can also lose its meaning, for example when verbs or adjectives control a specific preposition.

APPLICATIONS

Annex 1.

Office of German verbs

(alphabetical index)

Appendix 2.

table 1.1.

GERMAN PREPOSITIONS THAT ARE ONLY USED WITH AKKUSATIV :

BIS

before

Anna kann schon bis 9 zählen.

through

Gehstdulieber durch die Vordertür ins Gebäude.

for, for

Wirmit meiner Schwesterhabenetwas für die Mama mitgebracht.

against

Mein Sohn ist mit dem Auto gegen einen Baum gefahren.

without

Ohne einenEuroin der Tasche gehe ich in die Stadt.

around

Sie müssen einfach um diese Ecke gehen.

along

Ermag denDniproentlang spazieren gehen.

GERMAN PREPOSITIONS THAT ARE ONLY USED With DATIV : to, on, for

Komm zu meiner Party!

PREPOSITIONS THAT CAN BE USED AS WITH AKKUSATIV, SO AND With DATIV :

table 1.2.

EXAMPLES OF USING GERMAN PREPOSITIONS

Ich fahre nach Griechenland.II'm goingVGreece.

special
happening

The names of these countries can be used with both "in" and "nach": (der)Iran oder (der)Irak

Ich fahre in den Iran.
Ich fahre nach Iran.
II'm goingVIran.
Aber: Ich fahre zu Vatican

Use in - nach - an - auf
when it comes to designating a place to the question “where”

in
ins (in das)

ins Haus oder in die Wohnung gehen, etwas ins Auto oder in den Kasten legen

ins Wasser, in den Schnee, ins Stadion (aber: auf den Sportplatz), in den Wald
c) when designating countries with an article (see above)
d) when indicating a direction:
in die falsche Richtung laufen, ins Unglück rennen

Er legte das Buch in den Rücksack

He put the book in his backpack

nach

a) used with names of cities, directions (Norden, Süden, etc.) and with circumstances of place (oben, unten)
b) when designating countries without an article (see above)

Die Vogel ziehen nach S¨den.

Birds fly south

an
ans (an das)

It is used when we are talking about the “edge of something,” for example: on the shore of the sea or river, or on the border of a state, or on the edge of a forest.
an die Kuste, an das Fußufer

Wir fahren ans Meer

We're going to the sea

auf
aufs (auf das)

a) if the speaker means something that is located higher: to the mountain, to the tower
auf den Baum steigen, auf die Leiter
b) if the speaker means something flat: a table, a chair, a sports ground, etc.
auf die Straße oder auf den Marktplatz gehen, aufs Land ziehn (aber: in die Stadt ziehen)
c) if you mean a view of something:
die Aussicht auf die Berge
d) with the names of the islands: auf eine Insel, auf die Philipinnen

Sie setzte sich aufs Sofa

She sat down on the sofa

Use in - bei - an - auf
when it comes to designating a place to the question “where”

in
im(in dem)

a) when designating a confined space or room:
Er ist im Zimmer, etwas liegt im Bucherschrank
b) when designating a semi-enclosed space or habitat
im Wasser, im Stadion (aber: auf dem Sportplatz), im Wald
c) when designating countries with and without articles
in England, in der Turkei

Das steht im Buch

It's written in the book
But: Es steht auf dem Zettel (since the note is not something closed)

bei
beim(bei dem)

a) used with names of persons and organizations:
bei meinem Onkel, bei der Post
b) when indicating geographical proximity:
Potsdam liegt bei Berlin. Er wohnt beim Rathaus.

Er arbeitet bei der Post.

He works at the post office.

an
am (an dem)

It is used when we are talking about the “edge of something,” for example: on the shore of the sea or river, or on the border of a state, or on the edge of a forest.
an der Küste, an dem Fussufer

Wir waren am Meer

We were at the sea

auf

a) if the speaker means something that is located higher: on a mountain, on a tower
auf dem Baum sitzen, auf der Leiter stehen
b) if the speaker means something flat: a table, a chair, a sports ground, etc.
auf der Strasse ist es gefährlich
c) with the names of the islands: auf einer Insel, auf den Philipinnen

Es steht auf dem Zettel

It's written on the note

Use in - an - um - gegen - zu
when it comes to time

in

a)if we are talking about the seasons: im Herbst - in autumn
b) when designating the year together with the word "Jahr": Im Jahr 1877..
c) when designating a period of time: Der Wagen fährt 180 km in der Stunde
d) when indicating a time that will come later: In zwei Tagen ist alles vorbei - In two days everything will pass

Ich komme in einer Stunde.

I will come in an hour.

an

a) if we are talking about dates: Er ist am 3.6.1970 geboren - he was born on 3.6.1970
b) when designating the days of the week: Die Elternversammlung findet am Mittwoch statt. - The meeting will take place on Wednesday
c) when indicating the time of day, e.g. after lunch: - am Nachmittag. (aber: in der Nacht!! - at night)

Am Nachmittag ist dort niemand da.

After lunch there is no one there.

um

a) if we are talking about the clock reading: Er kommt um 17 Uhr - He will arrive at 17 o’clock
b) when indicating an approximate date: Das Haus stammt aus der Zeit um 1700...

Der Zug kommt um 22 Uhr.

The train will arrive at 22:00.

gegen

when indicating the approximate time: gegen 17 Uhr - about 17 hours

Es war gegen Ende des 17.Jahrhunderts.

This was around the end of the 17th century.

zu

a) if we are talking about church holidays: zu Ostern - for Easter
b) when denoting time together with the word "Zeit": Zur Zeit Napoleons - During the time of Napoleon

Zu dieser Zeit war ich zu Hause.

At this time I was at home.

special
happening

If the year is named without the word "Jahr", the article is missing. Compare:
Im Jahr 1918 endete der Erste Weltkrieg - In 1918 the First World War ended
1918 endete der erste Weltkrieg - In 1918 the First World War ended

I'm going to Iran.

table 2.1.

PREPOSITIONS CONTAINING ONLY ONE WORD

Dativ (D.)

(Where?)

D./Akk.

Akkusativ (Akk.)

(Where?)

in view -angesichts

thanks to -

dank

from, from, starting from -ab

at, on, about, to; at, near, around, next to -an

before -bis

through -anhand

in accordance, according to -gemäss

from -aus

on, by -auf

through, through, through -durch

instead, instead -(an)statt

according to, in accordance with -laut

except, except -ausser

along -entlang (after noun)

for, for- für

beyond, outside -ausserhalb

along, in the longitudinal direction -längs

at, y –bei

behind, behind -hinter

against, around, in the area– gegen

in front of, on this side, on this side -diesseits

despite, despite -trotz

towards, against, in spite of -entgegen (can come before or after a noun)

on, in, through (about time) -in

without -ohne (after this preposition the noun always stands without an article

including -einschliesslich

against -gegenüber (most often comes after a noun)

near, at, near -neben

by, for, through, as of -per

relatively, in relation to -hinsichtlich

with the help, with -mit

under, among, at, below -unter

on, for -pro

due to –information

together with -(mit)samt

from above, about, above, through -Uber

around, about, on, through, behind –um

during -innerhalb

after, on, by, in (direction) –nach

before, before, ago -vor

in spite of, against -wider

behind, on the other side -jenseits

starting from (indicates time) –seit

between -zwischen

by virtue of -kraft

oh, from, with –von

for lack -mangels

for, to –zu

through –mittels

despite, in spite of -ungeachtet

nearby, not far from -unweit

during, in the process, during –während

because of, as a result of, -wegen

table No. 2.2.

PREPOSITIONS CONTAINING MULTIPLE WORDS

table 2.3.

PREPOSITIONS CONTAINING MULTIPLE WORDS (PREPOSITIONAL COMBINATIONS WITH NOUNS)

Prepositions in German have the same purpose as in Russian. They help words or phrases unite into a single semantic unit, that is, into a sentence. Prepositions in German are usually placed before the object to which they are directly related.

Classification

The use of prepositions in relation to cases

It is interesting that for some prepositions one of the existing cases is necessarily constant. The second can be found only in some cases. It is better to show everything with a clear example. Let's say this sentence: Trotz dem Schneefall (Dativ) wollte Mark mit dem Auto in die Berge fahren. It is translated as follows: “Despite the snowfall, Mark wanted to go by car to the mountains.” This sentence clearly shows the use of the dative case. And this, I must say, is quite rare in the German language, or rather, in colloquial speech. What about other cases? for example, it is used in rare cases of control with the preposition des (“in”); in sentences where this occurs, des comes after the noun.

Nominativ and Akkusativ

There are also prepositions with which it is not necessary to use complements in any strictly defined case. To be more specific, these are als and wie. Nouns that come after these prepositions are declined in the same way as the members of the sentence corresponding to them. This can be seen in the following example: Mario kannte ihren Schwester als Schüler (this is Nominativ). This sentence is translated as follows: “Mario knew her sister as a schoolgirl.” In another way, using Akkusativ, the phrase can be constructed as follows: Mario kannte ihren schwester als Schüler. It translates almost the same way: “Mario knew her sister when she was a schoolgirl.” Both examples are directly related to each other. But in the first case, the subject is correlated with the noun after als (accordingly, it is necessary to use Nominativ), but in the second case Akkusativ is used, since there is an addition. In general, prepositions of control in German are not anything complicated; the main thing here is to learn the purpose of the cases and the translation of the words themselves.

Universal use of prepositions

This is a rather interesting topic, and you should also know it in order to be able to correctly express your thoughts. If you want, for example, to say: “I’m going to Germany,” then it would be correct to use nach here. This preposition indicates a direction, and in this case the sentence would look like this: Ich fahre nach Deutschland. By the way, nach is used in relation to countries that do not have neuter states, such as Russia, Italy, Germany, France, etc. This preposition is also used if you need to answer the question about what time it is . For example: zwanzig Minuten nach fünf (twenty minutes past six). Only in this case the preposition is translated as “after” (if literally). I would also like to pay special attention to the frequently encountered Für. Usually used in relation to someone. Für dich, Für mich, Für alle da (for you, for me, for everyone), etc. That is, it indicates the purpose, purpose, addressee. But this preposition is often used as a replacement for the meaning “for someone.” For example: Sie hat schon für mich bezahlt (she has already paid for me).

What prepositions exist

Finally, I would like to list all existing prepositions in the German language. The table in which they are most often presented is not very large, and remembering everything is much easier than it seems. People learning this language remember them by comparison. An - translated as “above” or “on”, depending on the use of the case. Auf determines the location of a person, an object or even a phenomenon: Alles was auf der Bühnepassiert, ist Wahnsinn (translation: “Everything that happens on stage is madness”). Hinter is a translation of our preposition “for”, and the German in is an absolute analogy of the same word in English. That is, it is translated as “in”: Ich bin jetzt in der Kneipe (translation: “I’m in the pub now”). There are also prepositions über (through, above) and vor (before, before, before).

As a matter of fact, these and the previously listed prepositions are the most used and frequently encountered in the German language. This topic is not as complex as, for example, the use of verbs. Prepositions in German have the same meaning and translation as in Russian, and this determines the comparative ease of mastering them. And if you practice using them, then very soon the result will be visible, and the person will no longer hesitate to correctly construct a sentence.

Prepositions in German, as in Russian, as a rule, very polysemous. Wed.- translation of German prepositions über, in:

Uber
above – Das Bild hängt Uber der Tafel.
about, about – Er erzählt Uber sein Studentenleben.

in
V - In unserer Gruppe gibt es viele Sportier.
through (about future) – In 5 Jahren komme ich zurück.
on - In der Deutschstunde sprechen wir Deutsch.
for, during – In 20 Tagen soll man 5 Prüfungen ablegen.

Russian prepositions have almost no exact matches among German prepositions and vice versa. We can name only the main correspondences according to the main, most common meanings.

a) Translation German prepositions, most common polysemantic,:

an
on (vertical surfaces)– Die Karte hängt an der Wand.
at (close, near)– Er sitzt am Tisch.
V - Am Sonntag fahre ich nach Hause.
does not translate (time interval) – Am Abend lese ich germen.

auf
on (horizontal surfaces)– Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch.
before (before the number)– Die Milchproduktion steigt auf 5000 l.

durch
thanks to, through, with the help of – Durch bessere Technologie erhöht man die Arbeitsproduktivität.
By (space limited on the sides)–Wir gehen durch die Straße.

für
For - Fur mich gibt es hier viel Interessantes.
behind - Fur seine gute Arbeit bekam er einen Orden.

in
V (inside)– Wir Wohnen im Studentenheim.
through (time period in the future) – In 5 Jahren werde ich Agronom.
By (academic discipline)– Bald haben wir ein Seminar in Botanik.

mit
With (jointly)– Ich gehe ins Kino mit meinen Freunden.
on (means of transport)– Er fährt mit dem Schnellzug.
does not translate (tool)– Ich schreibe mit dem Bleistift.

nach
after - Nach dem Unterricht gehen wir oft spazieren.
through (a period of time in the past) – Nach 2 Jahren kam er zurück.
V (direction of movement)– Ich fahre bald nach Saratow.
By (according to, in accordance) – Nach seinem Diplom ist er Gärtner.

Uber
above – Die Karte hängt Uber dem Tisch.
about, about – Er erzählt Uber sein Studentenleben.

um
around - Um unsere Hochschule liegt ein alter Park.
V (when indicating time) – Um 2 Uhr ist die Stunde zu Ende.
on (with difference in quantity)– Wir produzieren jetzt um 20% mehr Traktoren.

unter
under – Die Felder liegen unter der Schneedecke.
among (with plural animate nouns) – Unter Studenten gibt es viele Sportler.

von
from – Ich weiβ das von meinem Freund.
about, about – Wir sprechen von einem neuen Film.
from (with plural parts) – Von Allen Böden ist die Schwarzerde am besten.
does not translate (conveys the meaning of the gender case)– Die Arbeit von Nina S. ist besonders gut.

vor
before, before - Vor den Prüfungen fuhr ich nach Hause.
ago - Vor 300 Jahren gab es noch keinen Mikroskop.

zu
to, to (direction of movement)– Ich gehe zu meinem alten Schulfreund. Wir gehen zusammen zum Konzert.
for (goal) – Zur Verbesserung der Technologie braucht man neue Maschinen.

b) Other prepositions in German more or less unambiguous. Translation of the most common ones:

aus- from - Kommen Sie aus Moscow?

bei- at, at - Er wohnt bei seinen Freunden.

ohne- without - Er übersetzt fast ohne Worterbuch.

gegen- against - Wir haben nichts gegen die Excursion.

bis- to - Ich arbeite im Lesesaal bis 10 Uhr.

zwischen- between - Meine Heimatstadt liegt zwischen Kiew und Odessa.

wegen- because of - Wegen seiner Krankheit treibt mein Bruder keinen Sport.

hinter- behind, behind - Hinter dem Lehrgebäude 12 liegt ein Park.

neben- next to, along with - Neben dem Studium interessiert er sich für Musik.

seit- With (certain moment in the past); during - Seit 1990 lebt meine Mutter in Omsk. Seit 2 Jahren arbeite ich an diesem Thema.

auβer- except - Auβer Petrow braucht niemand eine Consultation.

während- during - Während der Prüfungen arbeiten viele im Lesesaal.

trotz- despite - Trotz des schlechten Wetters ist die Ernte gut.

gegenüber- on the contrary, compared to - Gegenüber 1995 hat unser Betrieb (um) dreimal mehr Maschinen.

je- from each, from each, for each - Wir haben jetzt 5000 l Milch je Kuh und Jahr.

c) Some prepositions in German can merge with a definite article into one word, for example: in + dem = im; zu + dem = zum; an + das = ans, etc.

So, due to the polysemy of most German prepositions and the frequent discrepancy between their meanings and the meanings of Russian prepositions When used in speech, it is necessary to know which German preposition is required in this case. For example, when indicated at what time the preposition um (um 3 Uhr) is used when indicating on what day- preposition an (am Sonntag), when indicating in what month and season- preposition in (im Juni; im Winter).

If you want to learn German prepositions easily and quickly, then this topic is for you!

Now you will have an advantage over other German language learners!

German prepositions have their pitfalls. The biggest problem is that prepositionsquite abstract. Moreover, there are no explicit instructionsfor use with the preposition of the correct case.

Of course, there are a lot of pretexts. Here I would like to tell you about the main ones, knowing which you will be able to express yourself quite freely.

After about 6 months of studying German, you should know the following prepositions:

Prepositions used with Akkusativ
durch, bis, für, ohne, entlang, gegen, um

Prepositions used with Dativ
bei, mit, seit, aus, zu, nach, von

Prepositions that are not used with any specific case:
hinter, an, neben, auf, unter, zwischen, vor, in, über

With which case to use the last group of prepositions depends on what the preposition from this group describes: a state of rest or action. This condition can be determined by asking a question. The question "Where?" determines the state of the action, the question “Where?” - state of rest.

Perhaps you once taught this rule as follows:

To the question "Where?" (Wohin?) Akkusativ should be used,
to the poros "Where?" (Wo?) - Dativ

For most students of German, prepositions that are not used with any particular case do not seem to be such an easy thing to understand. And all because these rules are too abstract and overflowing with information.

Now you will see that this rule can be remembered much faster and easier!

Here you will find three ways to learn German prepositions:

Songs
Paints
Mnemonic pictures

Let's start with the songs.

I will now show how songs work to memorize German prepositions using the example of a song about prepositions used with Akkusativ. Let us list these prepositions again: durch, bis, für, ohne, entlang, gegen, um

Find any song that you like and whose melody you can easily remember. It could be any song. Put the prepositions in such an order that you can sing them to this melody.

In this example, I would like to introduce you to serious German culture, so I took the German folk song "Laurentia". Ask your teacher or German teacher, they definitely know this song

I rearranged the order of these prepositions so that I could sing them to this melody. Here's what happened:

And this is how the Akkusativ song sounds:

Do the same with prepositions used with Dativ and with prepositions without a definite case. Just find a memorable melody, arrange the prepositions in order for singing to this melody, sing a few times, and you will see that it will be much easier and faster to remember these prepositions.

Don't want to invent it yourself? No problem! I have prepared two more songs especially for you.(The songs are included in the "Learn German Grammar With Mnemonics" kit)

By the way, why did I write prepositions used with Akkusativ in blue (on the sheet music)?

When learning German prepositions, use a different color for each case.

Colors can be a powerful tool when it comes to understanding the German case system. Especially when it comes to prepositions, the help of flowers can bring order and understanding to the chaos of the cases with which these prepositions are used.

So my advice:

Use blue color for Akkusativ And red color for Dativ. Why these particular colors? Of course, you can also use completely different colors. I chose these colors for my kit"Learn German with mnemonics" for certain reasons and based on these colors, he created an extensive system.

So, write all the prepositions used with Akkusativ in your dictionaries or on flashcards for learning words blue color. You will quickly remember the correspondence of color to case and then you will easily remember that this preposition is used with Akkusativ:

Do the same with prepositions using Dativ, but take red color:

With indefinite prepositions, you really see what a powerful tool color is. When writing these prepositions you need to use both colors: and red, And blue. How exactly to use them depends on your imagination. For example, it might look like this:

Now we will use colors together with mnemonic pictures.

If you're already impressed by the use of colors in learning German prepositions, you'll be glad to know that you can combine color and mnemonic. So, let's look at an example for the preposition hinter (behind, behind):

So which case should you use in this situation?
Exactly? Are you right in thinking that Dativ?