Are you ready to elevate your German language skills and add a touch of finesse to your expressions? In this guide, we'll explore several essential genitive prepositions and provide examples to help you wield them with confidence.
After the dual prepositions in German and the German prepositions with the accusative and the prepositions with dative in German, the last set of prepositions that German students typically learn are the ones that go with the genitive case. Below, you'll find the most common genitive prepositions with examples.
außerhalb (outside of) | Außerhalb der deutschen Hauptstadt Berlin gibt es viele Seen. (Outside of the German capital Berlin there are many lakes) |
innerhalb (inside of, within) | Innerhalb der Stadtgrenzen Berlins gibt es viele Sehenswürdigkeiten. (Inside the borders of Berlin there are sights) |
oberhalb (above) | Das Bild hängt oberhalb des Sofas. (The picture hangs above the sofa) |
unterhalb (below, underneath) | Der Schlüssel liegt unterhalb der Zeitung. (The key lies underneath the newspaper) |
statt/anstatt* (instead) | Statt der Zeitung liest der Mann ein Buch. (Instead of reading the newspaper the man reads a book) |
trotz (in spite of, despite) | Sie gehen trotz der Kälte spazieren. (They go for a walk in spite of the cold) |
während (during) | Während des Unterrichts sind die Schüler:innen konzentriert. (During the lesson, the pupils are concentrated) |
wegen (because of, due to) | Wegen meines Partners lerne ich Deutsch. (I'm learning German because of my partner) |
*statt and anstatt are usually used interchangeably. Confusingly, they can be used as genitive prepositions and conjunctions that trigger infinitive constructions in German.
Mastering Genitive Prepositions- Tips for Learners:
Contextual Learning: Absorb these prepositions in various contexts to grasp their nuances.
Practice with Examples: Create your sentences using these prepositions to reinforce understanding.
Explore German Literature: Read German texts to see these prepositions in action.
Understanding and incorporating genitive prepositions into your German repertoire adds a layer of sophistication to your language proficiency. Embrace the challenge, practice consistently, and watch as your linguistic precision flourishes.
And if you want to learn about the genitive case in German beyond prepositions, read our blog post on this case. Feel free to share your thoughts or ask questions about genitive prepositions in the comments below!
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