The Accusative Case

The Accusative Case
The accusative case may be used in German for any one of three reasons:
1. The sentence has a direct object - a noun or pronoun that receives
action from the verb. (The vers sein never takes a direct object)
2. The noun or pronoun follows one of these prepositions: durch, für,
gegen, ohne, um (or bis and entlang) These prepositions require the
use of the accusative case always.
3. The noun or pronoun follows one of these prepositons AND motion
toward a new location is being shown: in, an, auf, vor, hinter, über,
unter, neben, zwischen. These prepositons also may require the use of
the Dative Case when only location is being shown. More on that later.
The Direct Object
For an excellent presentation on the accusative case and the direct object
go to the following web site:
http://nosferatu.cas.usf.edu/german/grammatik/accusative/accusative.html
Read the information on the Nominative Case and then continue to read the
explanaiton of the Accusative Case.
In brief, a direct object is a noun or pronoun that is receiving action, or
being acted upon by the subject of the sentence. There must be an active
verb (not sein) in the sentence.
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

Der Hund beisst den Mann Wir bringen den Käse.
Ich habe einen Bruder. Anina liest ein Buch.
Erik trinkt einen Kaffee. Soren küsst die Prinzessin.
In the Accusative Case the following changes occur in the DEFINITE
ARTICLES:
masc.
fem.
neut.
pl.
Nomminative
der
die
das
die
Accusative
DEN
die
das
die
The following changes occur in the EIN WORDS:
masc.
fem.
neut.
pl.
Nominative
kein
keine
kein
keine
Accusative
KEINEN
keine
kein
keine
These changes occur with all of the EIN WORDS which are:
Deutsch
Englisch
ein
a, an
kein
not a, no
mein
my
dein
your (sing. familiar)
sein
his, its
ihr
her
unser
our
euer
your (pl. familiar)
Ihr
Your (formal, sing & pl)
ihr
their
The following changes occur in the DIESER WORDS:
masc.
fem.
neut.
pl.
Nominative
dieser
diese
dieses
diese
Accusative
DIESEN
diese
dieses
diese
These changes in all of the DIESER WORDS which are:
Deutsch
Englisch
dieser
this, these
jeder
each, every
mancher
some
solcher
such
welcher
which
The following changes occur in PRONOUNS in the accusative case:
Nominative
Accusative
ich (I)
mich (me)
du (you, sing. familiar)
dich (you, sing. familiar)
er (he - replaces der )
ihn (him - replaces den)
sie (she - replaces die)
sie (she - replaces die)
es (it-replaces das)
es (it - replaces das)
wir (we)
uns (us)
ihr (you - pl. familiar)
euer (you - pl. famiiar)
Sie (you - formal)
Sie (you - formal)
sie (they - replaces die pl.)
sie (them - replaces die pl.)
The following changes occur in ADJECTIVE ENDINGS FOLLOWING
DEFINITE ARTICLES AND DIESER WORDS in the Accusative Case:
masc.
fem.
neut.
pl.
Nominative
der ---E
Mann
die ---E Frau
das ---E
Mädchen
die ---EN
Kinder
Accusative
DEN ---EN
Mann
die ---E Frau
das ---E
Mädchen
die ---EN
Kinder