German grammar can seem confusing at first, especially when you encounter German cases. However, once you understand the basic idea behind them, cases become much easier to use. In this guide, we will explain the four main German cases: Nominative, Accusative, Dative, and Genitive, using simple explanations and clear examples.
🔹 Nominative – the subject of the sentence
The Nominative case is used for the subject, meaning the person or thing performing the action.
Example:
Der Mann liest ein Buch.
(The man is reading a book.)
Here, der Mann is the subject, so it is in the Nominative case.
🔹 Accusative – the direct object
The Accusative case is used for the direct object — the person or thing that is directly affected by the action.
Example:
Ich sehe den Mann.
(I see the man.)
Many common verbs such as sehen, haben, and kaufen require the Accusative case.
🔹 Dative – the indirect object
The Dative case shows the indirect object, usually the person who receives something.
Example:
Ich gebe dem Mann ein Buch.
(I give the man a book.)
Several prepositions like mit, nach, and aus always take the Dative case.
🔹 Genitive – showing possession
The Genitive case is mainly used to show ownership or relationships between nouns.
Example:
Das Auto des Mannes.
(The man’s car.)
Although Genitive is less common in everyday spoken German, it is still important in written language.
✅ Conclusion
Understanding German cases is essential for building correct sentences. By mastering Nominative, Accusative, Dative, and Genitive, you create a strong foundation for learning German grammar.
👉 On Grammatikly, you can find detailed explanations and interactive exercises for each German case to practice and improve faster.