🇩🇪German Cases: Nominative, Accusative, Dative, Genitive
Stop drowning in German's 16-cell case chart. Learn one function per day — nominative, accusative, dative, genitive — until you can write short descriptions that force each case into use on purpose.
Phase 1What German Cases Actually Encode
See what cases actually encode about sentence roles
Cases tag roles, not objects
6 minCases tag roles, not objects
Nominative is the noun's resting state
5 minNominative is the noun's resting state
Accusative marks what's on the receiving end
6 minAccusative marks what's on the receiving end
Dative is 'to whom,' genitive is 'whose'
6 minDative is 'to whom,' genitive is 'whose'
Phase 2Drilling Each Case One Function at a Time
Drill nominative and accusative, then dative and genitive
Flip a sentence, flip one article
6 minFlip a sentence, flip one article
Six prepositions always demand accusative
6 minSix prepositions always demand accusative
Dative changes every article, including plural
7 minDative changes every article, including plural
Seven prepositions always demand dative
7 minSeven prepositions always demand dative
Genitive lives in writing and fixed phrases
7 minGenitive lives in writing and fixed phrases
Phase 3Two-Way Prepositions and Case-Triggering Verbs
Handle two-way prepositions and case-triggering verbs
The jacket is on the chair, or I'm putting it on the chair
7 minThe jacket is on the chair, or I'm putting it on the chair
Your friend needs help, and help takes dative
7 minYour friend needs help, and help takes dative
Tuesday is accusative, but on Tuesday is dative
7 minTuesday is accusative, but on Tuesday is dative
Swap the object and the subject — German won't flinch
7 minSwap the object and the subject — German won't flinch
Phase 4Write Short Descriptions Forcing Each Case
Write short descriptions forcing each case into use
Write a four-case description of your morning
20 minWrite a four-case description of your morning
Frequently asked questions
- What do German cases actually encode that English doesn't?
- This is covered in the “German Cases: Nominative, Accusative, Dative, Genitive” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
- How do I tell when to use accusative versus dative?
- This is covered in the “German Cases: Nominative, Accusative, Dative, Genitive” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
- Why do some prepositions take accusative in one sentence and dative in another?
- This is covered in the “German Cases: Nominative, Accusative, Dative, Genitive” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
- Is the genitive case really disappearing from spoken German?
- This is covered in the “German Cases: Nominative, Accusative, Dative, Genitive” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
- What's the fastest way to memorize the 16-cell article chart?
- This is covered in the “German Cases: Nominative, Accusative, Dative, Genitive” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
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