Hallo Leute! 👋
Today, we are going to answer an important question in German grammar: How do you use über and auf correctly with the accusative and dative cases?
This blog will help you understand when and how to use these prepositions accurately. 📚📝
Explanation:
Über can mean over or about, while auf means on.
Both can take the accusative or dative case depending on whether there is movement involved.
Let’s see some examples!
- Das Bild hängt über dem Sofa. (The picture hangs above the sofa.)
- Here, we have no movement since the picture is already hanging above the sofa, so we use the dative case with über.
- Wir gehen über die Brücke. (We go over the bridge.)
- Here, there is movement over the bridge, so we use the accusative case with über.
- Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch. (The book lies on the table.)
- Here, we have no movement since the book is already lying on the table, so we use the dative case with auf.
- Ich lege das Buch auf den Tisch. (I put the book on the table.)
- Here, there is movement as the book is being placed on the table, so we use the accusative case with auf.
Summary:
To use über and auf correctly:
- Use the dative case when there is no movement involved.
- Use the accusative case when there is movement.
Extra Examples:
Here are some extra examples to help you practice:
A- Die Lampe hängt über dem Tisch. (The lamp hangs above the table.) – No movement, use dative
B- Er stellt die Vase auf den Tisch. (He places the vase on the table.) – Movement, use accusative
C- Wir sprechen über den Film. (We talk about the movie.) – No movement, use über with accusative for about
To reinforce what you’ve just read, check out our engaging video below! 🎥👇
