übungen Für Akkusativ Und Dativ

Understanding the accusative and dative cases in German grammar can be a significant hurdle for new learners. These cases determine the function of a noun within a sentence and dictate which endings adjectives, articles, and pronouns take. This article aims to provide a practical guide to understanding and practicing the accusative and dative, equipping you with the knowledge and exercises to confidently navigate German sentence structure.

The Basics: Nominative, Accusative, and Dative

Before diving into exercises, let's briefly review the roles of the nominative, accusative, and dative cases. The nominative case identifies the subject of the sentence – the one performing the action. The accusative case typically marks the direct object – the person or thing receiving the action directly. The dative case generally indicates the indirect object – the person or thing that benefits from or is affected by the action, but not directly acted upon.

Consider the following sentence:

Der Mann gibt der Frau den Apfel. (The man gives the woman the apple.)

Here:

• Der Mann (the man) is in the nominative case (subject).
• Den Apfel (the apple) is in the accusative case (direct object – what is being given).
• Der Frau (the woman) is in the dative case (indirect object – who benefits from receiving the apple).

Distinguishing between the accusative and dative is crucial for constructing grammatically correct sentences. Let's explore specific exercises that can help you master this distinction.

Identifying Accusative and Dative Objects

A fundamental skill is identifying the accusative and dative objects within a sentence. A helpful approach is to ask yourself these questions:

• Who or what is directly acted upon? (Accusative)
• Who or what benefits from or is affected by the action, but not directly acted upon? (Dative)

Übung 1: Sentence Analysis

Identify the subject, accusative object, and dative object in the following sentences. If a sentence does not contain a particular object, mark it as "N/A" (Not Applicable).

1. Ich helfe meiner Mutter. (I help my mother.)
2. Er kauft ein Buch. (He buys a book.)
3. Sie gibt dem Kind einen Ball. (She gives the child a ball.)
4. Wir besuchen den Dom. (We visit the cathedral.)
5. Das Kind spielt. (The child plays.)

Answer Key:

1. Subject: Ich; Accusative: N/A; Dative: meiner Mutter
2. Subject: Er; Accusative: ein Buch; Dative: N/A
3. Subject: Sie; Accusative: einen Ball; Dative: dem Kind
4. Subject: Wir; Accusative: den Dom; Dative: N/A
5. Subject: Das Kind; Accusative: N/A; Dative: N/A

Übung 2: Question Formation

Formulate questions to identify the accusative and dative objects using the question words Wen? (Whom?) for accusative and Wem? (To whom?/To what?) for dative.

Example:

Der Lehrer erklärt den Schülern die Grammatik. (The teacher explains the grammar to the students.)

Question for Accusative: Wen oder was erklärt der Lehrer? (Whom or what does the teacher explain?) Answer: Die Grammatik.

Question for Dative: Wem erklärt der Lehrer die Grammatik? (To whom does the teacher explain the grammar?) Answer: Den Schülern.

Practice this with the following sentences:

1. Ich gebe dem Kellner das Geld. (I give the waiter the money.)
2. Sie liest ihrem Bruder eine Geschichte vor. (She reads a story to her brother.)
3. Wir sehen einen Film. (We are watching a film.)
4. Der Arzt hilft dem Patienten. (The doctor helps the patient.)
5. Er schenkt seiner Freundin Blumen. (He gives his girlfriend flowers.)

Accusative and Dative Prepositions

Certain prepositions always govern either the accusative or the dative case. Learning these prepositions is essential.

Accusative Prepositions

Common accusative prepositions include: durch (through), für (for), gegen (against), ohne (without), um (around), bis (until), entlang (along – usually follows the noun). Think of the mnemonic "DuFgOG UbE"

Dative Prepositions

Common dative prepositions include: aus (from, out of), außer (except for), bei (at, near), mit (with), nach (after, to (cities/countries)), seit (since), von (from, of), zu (to). Think of the mnemonic "Aus Ausser Bei Mit Nach Seit Von Zu".

Übung 3: Preposition Practice

Complete the following sentences with the correct accusative or dative preposition, then provide the correct case ending for the noun in parentheses.

1. Ich fahre _______ (meine Schwester). (I drive to my sister.)
2. Er geht _______ (das Kino). (He goes to the cinema.)
3. Sie kauft ein Geschenk _______ (ihr Freund). (She buys a gift for her friend.)
4. Wir gehen _______ (der Park). (We go through the park.)
5. Ich wohne _______ (meine Eltern). (I live with my parents.)

Answer Key:

1. zu meiner Schwester
2. in das Kino (or ins Kino) (directional prepositions like "in" can be accusative when indicating movement *to* a place)
3. für ihren Freund
4. durch den Park
5. bei meinen Eltern

Two-Way Prepositions (Wechselpräpositionen)

Some prepositions, known as two-way prepositions, can take either the accusative or the dative case, depending on whether they indicate location (static) or direction (movement). These include: an (on, at), auf (on), hinter (behind), in (in, into), neben (next to), über (over, above), unter (under, below), vor (in front of), zwischen (between).

Dative (Location): Used when describing where something *is* (no movement involved).

Accusative (Direction): Used when describing where something *is going* (movement involved).

Example:

Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch. (The book is lying on the table. - Dative - Location)

Ich lege das Buch auf den Tisch. (I am putting the book on the table. - Accusative - Direction)

Übung 4: Two-Way Prepositions

Choose the correct preposition and case ending for the noun in parentheses based on the context.

1. Das Bild hängt _______ (die Wand). (The picture is hanging on the wall.)
2. Ich hänge das Bild _______ (die Wand). (I am hanging the picture on the wall.)
3. Die Katze sitzt _______ (der Stuhl). (The cat is sitting on the chair.)
4. Die Katze springt _______ (der Stuhl). (The cat jumps onto the chair.)
5. Wir treffen uns _______ (das Café). (We meet in the café.)
6. Wir gehen _______ (das Café). (We are going into the café.)

Answer Key:

1. an der Wand
2. an die Wand
3. auf dem Stuhl
4. auf den Stuhl
5. in dem Café
6. in das Café

Pronouns in Accusative and Dative

Pronouns also change form depending on the case. Here's a table summarizing the personal pronouns in nominative, accusative, and dative cases:

Übung 5: Pronoun Practice

Replace the underlined noun phrase with the correct personal pronoun in the accusative or dative case.

1. Ich sehe den Mann. (I see the man.)
2. Er hilft der Frau. (He helps the woman.)
3. Wir geben dem Kind ein Geschenk. (We give the child a gift.)
4. Sie besuchen die Freunde. (They visit the friends.)
5. Ich danke Ihnen für die Hilfe. (I thank you for the help.) (Formal)

Answer Key:

1. Ich sehe ihn.
2. Er hilft ihr.
3. Wir geben ihm ein Geschenk.
4. Sie besuchen sie.
5. Ich danke Ihnen für die Hilfe.

Practice with Common Verbs

Certain verbs commonly take a dative object. Recognizing these verbs can help you predict the case of the following noun. Some common examples include: helfen (to help), danken (to thank), gefallen (to please), passen (to fit), schmecken (to taste good), gratulieren (to congratulate).

Example:

Das Kleid gefällt mir. (The dress pleases me. - The dress is the subject, and *mir* is the dative object.)

Übung 6: Verb and Case Practice

Complete the sentences with the correct form of the personal pronoun (accusative or dative) based on the verb used.

1. Ich helfe _______ (du). (I help you.)
2. Er dankt _______ (ihr) für das Geschenk. (He thanks her for the gift.)
3. Das Essen schmeckt _______ (ich) gut. (The food tastes good to me.)
4. Sie gratuliert _______ (er) zum Geburtstag. (She congratulates him on his birthday.)
5. Der Film gefällt _______ (wir) nicht. (We don't like the film. The film does not please us.)

Answer Key:

1. Ich helfe dir.
2. Er dankt ihr für das Geschenk.
3. Das Essen schmeckt mir gut.
4. Sie gratuliert ihm zum Geburtstag.
5. Der Film gefällt uns nicht.

Consistent practice is key to mastering the accusative and dative cases in German. By working through these exercises and continuing to analyze sentences you encounter, you will develop a stronger understanding of German grammar and improve your fluency.