German two-way prepositions (‘Wechselpräpositionen’): Accusative vs. dative rules

Here are the nine most common German two-way prepositions, with their English equivalents:

• an (at/on, e.g., a vertical surface)
• auf (on, e.g., a horizontal surface)
• hinter (behind)
• in (in/into)
• neben (next to)
• über (over/above)
• unter (under/beneath)
• vor (in front of)
• zwischen (between)

In this guide, we’ll show you how these words behave and which case to use in a given situation.

• Core rule: Movement vs. location
• Declensions and contractions
• Examples of each preposition in action
• FAQs

Core rule: Movement vs. location

The secret to mastering German two-way prepositions lies in one simple question: Is something moving, or staying put? This is similar to the distinction between the question words wo and wohin, with the former indicating the location of something and the latter indicating a change in position.

Movement → Accusative (‘Wohin?’)

If the sentence involves motion or a change of position, you’re answering the question “Wohin?” (“Where to?”). This means that you must use the accusative case.

• Ich gehe in das Haus. (I’m going into the house.)
  
• Er legt das Buch auf den Tisch. (He puts the book onto the table.)
  

Location → Dative (‘Wo?’)

If there’s no movement and you're describing a fixed location, you’re answering “Wo?” (“Where?”). This means that you must use the dative case.

• Ich bin in dem Haus. (I’m in the house.)
  
• Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch. (The book is lying on the table.)
  

Declensions and contractions

Two-way prepositions change the form of the following article. Here’s how articles shift between accusative and dative, plus some common contractions you’ll hear all the time.

Gender	Accusative	Dative
Masculine (der)	den	dem
Feminine (die)	die	der
Neuter (das)	das	dem
Plural (die)	die	den (+ -n on the noun)

• Ich stelle das Glas auf den Tisch. (accusative – motion)
• Das Glas steht auf dem Tisch. (dative – location)

In spoken and written German, these prepositions often contract with articles to make speech smoother:

Contraction	Full form	Meaning
ins	in + das	into the (neuter)
im	in + dem	in the (neuter/masc.)
ans	an + das	onto + the
am	an + dem	at/on + the
aufs	auf + das	onto + the
aufm	auf + dem (colloquial)	on the
vom	von + dem	from the
zum	zu + dem	to the
zur	zu + der	to the (fem.)

These little shortcuts are everywhere — especially in everyday speech. Mastering them makes your German flow more naturally and shows you’re tuned in to how the language works, even more so than having a good German accent.

Examples of each preposition in action

An vs. auf (vertical vs. horizontal surfaces)

These two both mean “on,” but they’re used in different spatial contexts.

Use an when something is attached to or very close to a vertical surface, such as a wall, a door or the edge of a river.

• Das Bild hängt an der Wand. (The picture is hanging on the wall.) → dative
• Ich hänge das Bild an die Wand. (I’m hanging the picture onto the wall.) → accusative
  

Use auf when something is placed on top of a horizontal surface, such as a table, bed or shelf.

• Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch. (The book is lying on the table.) → dative
• Ich lege das Buch auf den Tisch. (I’m laying the book onto the table.) → accusative

Hinter (behind)

• Der Hund schläft hinter dem Sofa. (The dog is sleeping behind the sofa.) → dative
• Der Hund läuft hinter das Sofa. (The dog runs behind the sofa.) → accusative

In (in/into)

• Wir sind in der Schule. (We are in the school.) → dative
• Wir gehen in die Schule. (We are going into the school.) → accusative

Neben (next to)

• Die Lampe steht neben dem Bett. (The lamp is next to the bed) → dative
• Ich stelle die Lampe neben das Bett. (I put the lamp next to the bed.) → accusative

Über (above/over)

• Die Lampe hängt über dem Tisch. (The lamp is hanging above the table.) → dative
• Ich hänge die Lampe über den Tisch. (I’m hanging the lamp above the table.) → accusative

Unter (under/below)

• Die Katze liegt unter dem Stuhl. (The cat is laying under the chair.) → dative
• Die Katze läuft unter den Stuhl. (The cat is running under the chair.) → accusative

Vor (in front of)

• Das Auto steht vor dem Haus. (The car is parked in front of the house.) → dative
• Ich fahre das Auto vor das Haus. (I’m driving the car in front of the house.) → accusative

Zwischen (between)

• Der Stuhl steht zwischen den Tischen. (The chair is between the tables.) → dative
• Ich stelle den Stuhl zwischen die Tische. (I’m placing the chair between the tables.) → accusative

Can movement verbs ever take dative?

Yes — if there’s no change in location. For example: Ich laufe im Park. (I’m running in the park.)

How can I remember the case rules more easily?

Ask “Wohin?” for accusative (movement) and “Wo?” for dative (location). Works like a charm.

Final thoughts on German two-way prepositions 

Tackling two-way prepositions when learning German may seem tricky at first, but the core idea is simple: movement = accusative, location = dative. Get that down, and everything else starts to fall into place, especially with common contractions and clear examples in mind.

The best way to master two-way prepositions? Use them in real conversations. With Lingoda’s native-level teachers and focus on real-life language, you’ll get the repetition, feedback and confidence you need to make these grammar moves feel automatic.

Practice often, and soon enough, you’ll be choosing the right case — ohne nachzudenken.