How do I use two-way prepositions?

Prepositions affect the case of the noun after them, and two-way prepositions can either put this noun into the dative or the accusative, depending on if there is movement in the sentence or not.
Examples of two-way prepositions are:
in
auf
unter
vor
neben
zwischen
an
Most of the time, these prepositions put the noun into the dative. If movement is involved, however, they put the noun into the accusative.
Here are two examples of similar sentences using the preposition "in", one of which uses the dative and one of which uses the accusative.
Ich gehe in die Schule.
Die Maus wohnt in der Schule.
Here, "I" am going to school, so I am moving because I am travelling to school, whereas the mouse lives there all the time and isn't moving. Therefore, "school" is in the accusative in the sentence involving "me", and it's in the dative in the sentence with the mouse.
Warning! Watch out for the verb "bleiben", which means "to stay" - this verb makes the sentence act as though there is movement, even though this verb means the exact opposite!
 

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Related German GCSE answers

All answers ▸

Which of the following sentences correctly forms the perfect tense? a) Er hat ein Buch gelest. b) Letztes Jahr bin ich nach Berlin gefahren. c) Wir haben in die Schule gegangen.


How do I know which is the object and which is the subject of a sentence?


Deine deutsche Freundin hat dir eine Postkarte geschrieben. Sie hat dich gefragt wo du gerne in den Urlaub fahren möchtest. Beschreibe was dein Traumurlaub wäre, wieso du gerne dahin fahren möchtest und was du dort machen würdest.


When should you use the accusative case in a sentence?