List of German Verbs with Prepositions (With Examples)

Memorizing German verbs is only half the battle. To speak like a native, you need to know which preposition follows the verb and which case it triggers. Because these pairs rarely match English 1-to-1, the best way to learn them is through a categorized list.

Here are the most common German verbs with prepositions that you will encounter in everyday conversation and on B1/B2 exams.

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1. Verbs with Accusative Prepositions

These verbs require the Accusative case for the object following the preposition. Remember: for masculine nouns, der becomes den.

Verb	Preposition	Example	English
warten	auf	Ich warte auf den Bus.	to wait for
sich freuen	auf	Ich freue mich auf den Urlaub.	to look forward to
denken	an	Denkst du an die Hausaufgaben?	to think of
sich interessieren	für	Er interessiert sich für die Kunst.	to be interested in
sich erinnern	an	Erinnerst du dich an den Film?	to remember
verzichten	auf	Ich verzichte auf den Nachtisch.	to do without

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2. Verbs with Dative Prepositions

These verbs require the Dative case. This is where der/das becomes dem and die becomes der.

Verb	Preposition	Example	English
träumen	von	Ich träume von einem Haus.	to dream of
angst haben	vor	Sie hat Angst vor dem Hund.	to be afraid of
telefonieren	mit	Ich telefoniere mit meiner Mutter.	to talk on the phone with
gehören	zu	Das gehört zu meiner Arbeit.	to belong to
sich beschäftigen	mit	Er beschäftigt sich mit dem Projekt.	to occupy oneself with
gratulieren	zu	Ich gratuliere dir zum Geburtstag.	to congratulate on

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3. Two-Way Preposition Verbs (Wechselpräpositionen)

Some verbs use “Two-Way” prepositions like an, auf, in, or über. In these fixed combinations, the case is usually Accusative when used with these specific verbs.

• Sprechen über + Acc: “Wir sprechen über das Problem.” (We are talking about the problem.)
• Sich ärgern über + Acc: “Ich ärgere mich über den Stau.” (I am annoyed about the traffic.)
• Sich entscheiden für + Acc: “Ich entscheide mich für das blaue Auto.” (I am deciding on the blue car.)

Expert Tip: Always learn the verb, the preposition, and the case as one single unit. For a full database of these verbs with interactive audio and exercises, check out our master list:Verben mit Präpositionen – Full Database.

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4. How to Practice This List

1. Flashcards: Write the verb on the front and the “Preposition + Case” on the back.
2. Sentence Mining: Every time you see a verb with a preposition in a book, write down the whole sentence.
3. Use “Wo-” Questions: Practice asking questions like “Worauf wartest du?” or “Wovon träumst du?” to cement the connection in your brain.

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Final Thoughts

This list is a great starting point for any German learner. While there are hundreds of combinations, mastering these top 15 will cover about 80% of your daily conversations. Keep this page bookmarked for your next writing assignment!

Next Step: Do you know how to use these verbs in a sentence when you’re talking about things instead of people? Learn all about Da-Compounds and Wo-Compounds to take your German to the next level!