Embarking on the journey of mastering German involves navigating through a linguistic maze, and prepositions play a pivotal role in this linguistic odyssey. Among these, "im," "am," and "um" often pose a problem for learners. This blog post is your compass, guiding you through the intricacies of using these prepositions in German. Let's embark on this exploration of prepositional nuances together. The following infographic shows how we use them.
Im, Am, Um Explained
"Im" and "am" are contractions of the prepositions in/an and the article "dem" for the masculine dative case. Why dative? Because both are two-way prepositions in German that go with the dative case whenever there is no change in location implied by the verb. As we're using these two prepositions in a temporal context here, there is no change in location. By contrast, "um" is an accusative preposition in German.
Let's look at some examples.
If someone asks you "um wieviel Uhr sollen wir uns treffen?" (what time should we meet?), you would answer with "um", e.g.
Um 19.30 Uhr.
Answering the question "are you free on Thursday?", you would use "am"
Hast du am Donnerstag Zeit? Ja, am Donnerstag habe ich noch nichts vor.
When are you normally going on holiday? Your response may be "im Sommer" (or any other season)
Wann gehts du in Urlaub? Im Sommer. Und du? Vielleicht im Herbst.
And when someone asks me when I was born, I would say "Ich bin am 2. Juli 1982 geboren".
Wann bist du geboren. Ich am 2.7. 1982 geboren.
Do not confuse am Morgen with morgens, though. They mean different things!
Let's break down what each of these prepositions means and how to use them correctly slightly differently to make the differences even clearer.
The Correct Use of Im, Am, Um in Context
1. "Im" – Used with Months, Seasons, and Locations
To reiterate, the word "im" is a contraction of "in dem" and is used primarily in three contexts:
Months: When referring to specific months, "im" is used.
Example: Ich habe im Juli Geburtstag. (I have my birthday in July.)
Seasons: "Im" is also used to specify seasons.
Example: Im Winter fahre ich Ski. (I go skiing in the winter.)
Locations: It can also be used with certain locations, particularly enclosed spaces or countries.
Example: Im Büro ist es ruhig. (It is quiet in the office.)
Example: Er wohnt im Ausland. (He lives abroad.)
2. "Am" – Used with Days, Times, and Dates
"Am" is a contraction of "an dem" and is commonly used to refer to specific days, times of the day, and dates.
Days of the Week: When discussing a specific day, "am" is the correct preposition.
Example: Am Montag habe ich einen Termin. (I have an appointment on Monday.)
Times of Day: This term is also used to refer to parts of the day, such as morning, afternoon, or evening.
Example: Am Morgen trinke ich Kaffee. (I drink coffee in the morning.)
Dates: "Am" is used for specific calendar dates.
Example: Am 3. Oktober ist der Tag der Deutschen Einheit. (October 3rd is the Day of German Unity.)
3. "Um" – Used for Specific Times
"Um" is a preposition used to refer to specific times of the day.
Clock Time: When indicating a precise time, "um" is used.
Example: Der Zug fährt um 8 Uhr ab. (The train departs at 8 o'clock.)
Around/About: It can also indicate an approximate time or something happening around a certain time.
Example: Er kommt um 7 Uhr herum. (He will arrive around 7 o'clock.)
Summary
"Im" is used with months, seasons, and specific locations.
"Am" is used with days of the week, parts of the day, and specific dates.
"Um" is used with specific times on the clock and to indicate around/about a certain time.
Examples Combined:
Ich habe im Dezember am Sonntag um 14 Uhr eine Feier.
(I have a party in December on Sunday at 2 PM.)
Understanding the context in which to use "im," "am," and "um" is essential for speaking and writing correctly in German. By remembering these simple rules and practising with examples, you can master these prepositions in no time.
You will find my complete guide to German prepositions in a separate post. On our blog, we also also discuss topics on the language as a whole, such as how many words there are in the German language, if German is difficult to learn, and whether language learning apps are worth your time and money.
All clear? Leave me a comment, and I'll be happy to help.
Nice post. Very helpful