📖 Explanation: What is the Accusative Case (Akkusativ)?
The Accusative is the second of the four German cases, after the Nominative. It is mainly used for the direct object (Akkusativobjekt) – the person or thing that is directly affected by the verb’s action.
To find the Accusative, ask:
- Wen? (Whom? – for people)
- Was? (What? – for things)
The Accusative is required after certain prepositions (durch, für, gegen, ohne, um) and with some time expressions without a preposition (e.g., jeden Tag, den ganzen Monat).
Unlike Nominative, the Accusative changes the article for masculine nouns (der → den, ein → einen). Feminine, neuter, and plural stay the same.
📋 Table 1: When to Use the Accusative
| Usage | Question | Example Sentence | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct object | Wen? / Was? | Ich sehe den Mann. (Whom do I see? Den Mann.) | I see the man. |
| After two-way prepositions (movement/direction) | – | Ich gehe in das Haus. (into the house – direction) | I’m going into the house. |
| With accusative prepositions | – | Das Geschenk ist für dich. | The gift is for you. |
| Time expressions (duration) | – | Ich lerne den ganzen Tag. | I’m studying the whole day. |
📋 Table 2: Definite Articles – Nominative vs. Accusative
| Gender | Nominative | Accusative | Example (Acc.) | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine | der | den | den Mann | the man (acc.) |
| Feminine | die | die | die Frau | the woman |
| Neuter | das | das | das Kind | the child |
| Plural | die | die | die Kinder | the children |
📋 Table 3: Indefinite Articles – Nominative vs. Accusative
| Gender | Nominative | Accusative | Example (Acc.) | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine | ein | einen | einen Mann | a man (acc.) |
| Feminine | eine | eine | eine Frau | a woman |
| Neuter | ein | ein | ein Kind | a child |
| Plural | (no article) | (no article) | (Kinder) | (some) children |
📋 Table 4: Common Accusative Prepositions
| Preposition | Meaning | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| durch | through / by | Ich gehe durch den Tunnel. | I’m going through the tunnel. |
| für | for | Ein Geschenk für meine Freundin. | A gift for my girlfriend. |
| gegen | against / around | Das Medikament gegen Kopfschmerzen. | The medicine against headaches. |
| ohne | without | Ich gehe ohne Jacke aus. | I’m going out without a jacket. |
| um | around / at (time) | Wir treffen uns um 8 Uhr. | We meet at 8 o’clock. |
🔑 Rules and Tips
- Only masculine changes in singular: Pay attention to “der/ein → den/einen”.
- Two-way prepositions (an, auf, hinter, in, neben, über, unter, vor, zwischen):
- Accusative = movement or direction (Wohin? – Where to?)
- Dative = location (Wo? – Where?) Example: Ich lege das Buch auf den Tisch (onto the table – acc.) vs. Das Buch ist auf dem Tisch (on the table – dat.).
- Many verbs always take Accusative (e.g., haben, sehen, essen, trinken, kaufen, lieben).
- Common mistake: Using Nominative for direct objects. Wrong: Ich sehe der Mann. → Correct: Ich sehe den Mann.
- Negation with “kein”: Follows the same rules (keinen Mann, keine Frau, etc.).
More examples:
- Hast du einen Stift? (Do you have a pen?)
- Ich kaufe das neue Auto. (I’m buying the new car.)
- Wir fahren durch die Stadt. (We’re driving through the city.)
Practice identifying “Wen?” or “Was?” in sentences – soon the Accusative will feel natural!