Every noun in a sentence is in one of four cases, and the article is what shows which. Ask the question in the left column to find it.

ihn and ihm end like den and dem: the same letter carries the case.

After der, dieser, jeder, welcher: the article already shows the case, so the adjective only needs -e or -en.

Most cells are -en. Learn the highlighted ones and you have the table.

• Always Akkusativ

  bis, durch, entlang, für, gegen, ohne, um

• Always Dativ

  ab, aus, außer, bei, gegenüber, mit, nach, seit, von, zu

• Two-way: Dativ or Akkusativ

  an, auf, hinter, in, neben, über, unter, vor, zwischen

  Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch.

  Wo? Where something is: Dativ

  Ich lege das Buch auf den Tisch.

  Wohin? Where something goes: Akkusativ

• Genitiv

  außerhalb, innerhalb, statt, trotz, während, wegen

Short forms

• am = an dem
• ans = an das
• beim = bei dem
• im = in dem
• ins = in das
• vom = von dem
• zum = zu dem
• zur = zu der

• The verb comes second

  In a statement the conjugated verb is the second element. Whatever comes first (the subject, a time, a place), the verb stays in second place and the subject moves behind it.

  Ich lerne heute Deutsch.

  I am learning German today.

  Heute lerne ich Deutsch.

  Today I am learning German.

• Two-part verbs make a bracket

  With a modal verb, the Perfekt or a separable verb, the conjugated part stays second and the rest goes to the very end.

  Ich muss heute Deutsch lernen.

  I have to learn German today.

  Ich habe gestern Deutsch gelernt.

  I learned German yesterday.

  Der Zug kommt um acht Uhr an.

  The train arrives at eight.

• After a subordinating connector, the verb goes last

  weil, dass, wenn, obwohl and the others send the conjugated verb to the end of their clause.

  Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil ich krank bin.

  I am staying at home because I am ill.

  Ich weiß, dass du morgen kommst.

  I know that you are coming tomorrow.

• A clause in first place counts as one element

  When the sentence starts with the subordinate clause, the main verb follows it straight away.

  Wenn ich Zeit habe, lerne ich Deutsch.

  When I have time, I study German.

• und, aber, oder, denn, sondern change nothing

  These join two main clauses and do not take a position, so the verb is still second after them.

  Ich lerne Deutsch, denn ich will in Berlin studieren.

  I am learning German, because I want to study in Berlin.

• Questions

  A yes/no question starts with the verb. A question with a question word keeps the verb second.

  Lernst du Deutsch?

  Are you learning German?

  Was lernst du?

  What are you learning?

• Time, reason, manner, place

  When several details follow the verb, the usual order is when, why, how, where: "te-ka-mo-lo".

  Ich fahre morgen wegen der Arbeit mit dem Zug nach Berlin.

  Tomorrow I am going to Berlin by train for work.

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