Case System

Except for verbs, every ‘chunk’ of a German sentence is in one of the four cases. Here is a website (in English) with lots of explanation of German cases. However, the following nine rules cover almost every situation. Apply the rules in order!

Rule 1: If there is a preposition starting the ‘chunk’, the preposition determines the case.
There are four types of prepositions:

  1. Those that are always used with accusative case
    (Most common: ohne, gegen, für, um, durch, bis, entlang)
  2. Those that are used with accusative (movement from A to B) or dative (no movement) case
    (Full list: an, auf, hinter, neben, in, über, unter, vor, zwischen)
  3. Those that are always used with dative case
    (Most common: ab, aus, außer, bei, gegenüber, mit, nach, seit, von, zu)
  4. Those that are always used with genitive case
    (Most common: diesseits, innerhalb, jenseits, statt, trotz, während)

Rule 2: If the noun/pronoun expresses a length of time or a distance; or is in a greeting or the date of a letter, use accusative case.

Rule 3: If the noun/pronoun is the subject of the sentence, use nominative case.
(To find the subject, first identify the verb. Then ask Who verb? or What verb? E.g. In the sentence The boy has brown hair, the verb is has. Ask “Who has?” The answer is “The boy has”. Therefore, the boy is the subject of the sentence.)

Rule 4: If the noun/pronoun is the complement of (after) one of the following verbs, use nominative case.
bleiben – to stay, heißen – to be called, scheinen – to seem, sein – to be, werden – to become

Rule 5: If the noun/pronoun is the direct object of one of the following verbs, use dative case.
antworten – to answer, danken – to thank, gefallen – to please, gehören – to belong to, glauben – to believe (if the object is a person; e.g. I believe you.), gratulieren – to congratulate, helfen – to help
(To find the direct object, first identify the verb. Then ask “Verb whom?” or “Verb what?” E.g. In the sentence The teacher congratulated the student, the verb is congratulated. Ask “Congratulated whom?” The answer is “Congratulated the student”. Therefore, the student is the direct object of the sentence.)

Rule 6: If the noun/pronoun is the direct object of the sentence, use accusative case.
(To find the direct object, first identify the verb. Then ask “Verb whom?” or “Verb what?” E.g. In the sentence The boy has brown hair, the verb is has. Ask “Has what?” The answer is “Has brown hair”. Therefore, brown hair is the direct object of the sentence.)

Rule 7: If the noun/pronoun is the indirect object of the sentence, use dative case.
(To find the indirect object, first identify the verb. Then ask “Verb to whom?” or “Verb to what?” E.g. In the sentence I give the girl a book, the verb is give. Ask “Give to whom?” The answer is “Give to the girl”. Therefore, the girl is the indirect object of the sentence.)

Rule 8: If the noun/pronoun in a position of advantage or disadvantage, use dative case.
(E.g. Advantage: Ich habe mir ein Buch gekauft. Disadvantage: Die Teller sind ihm vom Brett gefallen.)

Rule 9: If the noun is in an “of the …” phrase showing possession, use genitive case.
(In German, the mother’s name has to be written the name of the mother.)