Cases

German has four cases. A case may determine the particular adjective, adjective ending, pronoun, and noun ending to use. If there is a definite article, the case is often easier to recognise.

The nominative case is used in reference to the subject of a sentence.

Der Mann / Die Frau / Das Kind isst. (The man / the woman / the child is eating.)

The accusative case is used in reference to the direct object of a sentence.

Ich sehe den Mann / die Frau / das Kind. (I see the man / the woman / the child.)

The dative case is used in reference to the indirect object of a sentence.

Er gibt dem Mann / der Frau / dem Kind den Löffel. (He gives the spoon to the man / the woman / the child.)

The genitive case is used in reference to a possessed object of a sentence.

das Buch des Mannes / der Frau / des Kindes (the man's / woman's / child's book)

To determine the case of a noun or pronoun in German, use the following steps, in order.

= Determining Cases =

If the noun or pronoun is a subject, it takes the nominative case. If the noun is an object, it takes either the accusative, dative or genitive case.

If the expression contains a dative, accusative or genitive preposition, the case of the noun or pronoun takes the case of that preposition.

If the expression contains a two-way preposition, if the verb is transitive, the expression takes the accusative case. If the verb is intransitive, the expression takes the accusative case.

If the expression contains no prepositions, the expression takes the accusative case if the verb is intransitive, and the dative case if the verb is transitive.