German Cases Explained: Nominative, Accusative, Dative, Genitive

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German grammar is famous for its four cases. At first, they may look scary — but once you understand the system, cases make perfect sense. This guide explains the basics of the nominative, accusative, dative, and genitive with clear rules and examples.

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What Are Cases in German?

Cases show the role of a noun in a sentence. In English, word order usually tells us who does what. In German, cases do this job.

• Nominative → the subject (who/what is doing something).
• Accusative → the direct object (who/what is affected).
• Dative → the indirect object (to/for whom something happens).
• Genitive → possession (whose).

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Case Endings with Articles

Case	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Plural
Nominative	der	die	das	die
Accusative	den	die	das	die
Dative	dem	der	dem	den
Genitive	des	der	des	der

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Nominative Case: The Subject

Used for the subject of the sentence.

例如

• Der Mann lernt Deutsch. (The man learns German.)
• Die Frau arbeitet. (The woman works.)

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Accusative Case: The Direct Object

Used for the object that receives the action.

例如

• Ich sehe den Mann. (I see the man.)
• Wir kaufen das Buch. (We buy the book.)

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Dative Case: The Indirect Object

Used for the person who receives something.

例如

• Ich gebe dem Kind ein Geschenk. (I give the child a present.)
• Sie schreibt der Freundin einen Brief. (She writes her friend a letter.)

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Genitive Case: Possession

Shows ownership or belonging.

例如

• Das ist das Auto des Lehrers. (That is the teacher’s car.)
• Die Tasche der Frau ist schön. (The woman’s bag is nice.)

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Common Mistakes — and How to Fix Them

• ❌ Ich sehe der Mann.
  ✔️ Ich sehe den Mann. (accusative needed)
• ❌ Ich gebe das Kind ein Buch.
  ✔️ Ich gebe dem Kind ein Buch. (dative needed)
• ❌ Das ist das Auto der Lehrer. (plural instead of genitive)
  ✔️ Das ist das Auto des Lehrers.

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FAQ: German Cases

Q: Which case should I learn first?
Start with nominative and accusative — they are used in most sentences.

Q: Is genitive still common?
Less in spoken German, often replaced by dative, but still important in writing.

Q: How can I practice cases?
Learn nouns with their articles and make short example sentences.

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Final Note

German cases are not random — they make sentences precise and clear. Once you know the basic rules, you will see patterns everywhere.

👉 For a deeper reflection on how grammar shapes thinking, see Tymur Levitin’s Author’s Column.

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📚 Related Articles

• German Word Order: The Ultimate Guide for Beginners
• 10 Common German Grammar Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

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👨‍🏫 作者: Tymur Levitin — founder, director, and senior teacher at Levitin Language School | Start Language School by Tymur Levitin.
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© Tymur Levitin | Category: German Grammar for Beginners