Explanation
What are Wechselpräpositionen?
Two-way prepositions, or Wechselpräpositionen, are a group of nine prepositions that can take either the Accusative or the Dative case. The case you choose changes the meaning of the sentence. These nine prepositions are: an, auf, hinter, in, neben, über, unter, vor, and zwischen.
The Rule: Wo vs. Wohin?
To decide which case to use, you must look at the context of the action. If you are describing a static position or location (answering the question 'Wo?' - Where?), you must use the Dative case. If you are describing a movement toward a destination or a change of place (answering the question 'Wohin?' - Where to?), you must use the Accusative case.
Directional vs. Situational Verbs
At the A2 level, you will often see these prepositions paired with specific verbs. Movement verbs like stellen (to put upright), legen (to lay down), and setzen (to seat someone) indicate a destination and require the Accusative. Their counterparts stehen (to stand), liegen (to lie), and sitzen (to sit) indicate a fixed position and require the Dative.
Helpful Contractions
In German, some of these prepositions frequently merge with the definite article. Common contractions include im (in + dem), ins (in + das), ans (an + das), and am (an + dem). Using these makes your German sound more natural and fluent.
Reference Tables
| Action Verb (Accusative) | Position Verb (Dative) | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| legen | liegen | to lay / to lie |
| stellen | stehen | to put / to stand |
| setzen | sitzen | to set / to sit |
| hängen | hängen | to hang (action) / to hang (state) |
| Gender | Accusative (Movement) | Dative (Position) |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine | den / einen | dem / einem |
| Feminine | die / eine | der / einer |
| Neuter | das / ein | dem / einem |
| Plural | die / - | den + -n / - |
Examples
Ich lege das Buch auf den Tisch.
I lay the book on the table.
Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch.
The book is lying on the table.
Wir gehen heute Abend ins (in das) Kino.
We are going to the cinema tonight.
Wir sitzen schon im (in dem) Kino.
We are already sitting in the cinema.
Stell die Tasche bitte hinter die Tür.
Please put the bag behind the door.
Common Mistakes
Since you are already there (position), you must use the Dative (in dem = im) instead of Accusative (in das = ins).
The verb 'hängt' here describes the current location of the picture, so the Dative 'der Wand' is required.
The verb 'setzen' implies a movement from standing to sitting, which requires the Accusative case.