What is akkusativ
Last updated: April 1, 2026
Key Facts
- The accusative case is primarily used to mark direct objects in sentences
- In German, the accusative case affects articles, adjectives, and pronouns differently than other cases
- Common accusative articles in German are 'den' for masculine, 'die' for feminine, 'das' for neuter, and 'die' for plural
- The accusative case is found in many Indo-European languages including Latin, Russian, and Polish
- Understanding accusative case is essential for speaking German correctly and identifying sentence structure
Overview
The akkusativ, or accusative case, is one of the four primary grammatical cases in the German language. It plays a crucial role in German grammar by marking the direct object of a verb—the noun that directly receives or is affected by the action of the verb.
Function in German
In German sentences, the accusative case is used after certain verbs and prepositions. For example, in the sentence "Ich sehe den Mann" (I see the man), 'den Mann' is in the accusative case because it's the direct object being seen. The article 'den' changes from the nominative 'der' to indicate this grammatical function.
Article Changes
German articles change form based on the case and gender of the noun:
- Masculine: der (nominative) → den (accusative)
- Feminine: die (nominative) → die (accusative)
- Neuter: das (nominative) → das (accusative)
- Plural: die (nominative) → die (accusative)
Adjective and Pronoun Changes
Adjectives and pronouns also change in the accusative case. For masculine nouns, adjectives add an '-en' ending, while pronouns like 'mich' (me), 'dich' (you), and 'ihn' (him) replace the nominative forms entirely. These changes help speakers and listeners identify the grammatical relationships in sentences.
Common Prepositions
Certain German prepositions always require the accusative case, including 'durch' (through), 'für' (for), 'gegen' (against), 'um' (around), and 'ohne' (without). Other prepositions like 'an', 'auf', and 'in' can take either the accusative or dative case depending on whether motion or location is being expressed.
Importance in Learning German
Mastering the accusative case is fundamental for anyone learning German. It affects not just nouns but also how adjectives and pronouns must be formed, making it essential for constructing grammatically correct sentences and understanding German speech.
Related Questions
What are the four German cases?
The four German grammatical cases are nominative (subject), accusative (direct object), dative (indirect object), and genitive (possessive). Each case changes how articles, adjectives, and pronouns are formed.
How does the dative case differ from the accusative?
The dative case marks the indirect object (the person or thing the action is done for), while the accusative marks the direct object. Dative uses 'dem' for masculine and 'der' for feminine, versus 'den' and 'die' for accusative.
Which prepositions always require the accusative case?
Prepositions like 'durch' (through), 'für' (for), 'gegen' (against), 'um' (around), and 'ohne' (without) always require the accusative case in German.
Sources
- Wikipedia - Accusative case CC-BY-SA-4.0
- Duden - German Dictionary proprietary