Explanation
What is the Accusative Case?
In German, the Accusative case (Akkusativ) is used primarily to identify the direct object of a sentence. The direct object is the person or thing that is directly receiving the action of the verb. For example, in the sentence "I have a suitcase," the suitcase is the object you have, so it must be in the Accusative case.
The "Masculine Change" Rule
The most important rule for A1 learners is that only masculine nouns change their articles in the Accusative case. Feminine, Neuter, and Plural nouns keep the exact same articles they use in the Nominative (subject) case. This means you only need to look out for masculine words like der Koffer or der Teller.
Common Verbs with Accusative
Most German verbs require the Accusative case for their objects. Some of the most common verbs you will encounter as a beginner include haben (to have), brauchen (to need), hören (to hear/listen), essen (to eat), trinken (to drink), and suchen (to look for). When you use these verbs with a masculine noun, remember that der becomes den and ein becomes einen.
Reference Tables
| Gender | Nominative (Subject) | Accusative (Object) |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine | der | den |
| Feminine | die | die |
| Neuter | das | das |
| Plural | die | die |
| Gender | Nominative (Subject) | Accusative (Object) |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine | ein / kein | einen / keinen |
| Feminine | eine / keine | eine / keine |
| Neuter | ein / kein | ein / kein |
Examples
Ich habe einen Koffer.
I have a suitcase.
Ich habe eine Frage.
I have a question.
Er hat kein Geld.
He has no money.
Ich höre gerne Musik.
I like listening to music.
Ich brauche einen Teller.
I need a plate.
Common Mistakes
Koffer is masculine. In the Accusative case, 'ein' must change to 'einen'.
The direct object 'Opa' is masculine, so 'der' must change to 'den'.
Problem is neuter (das). Neuter articles do not change in the Accusative case.