Prepositions of Place For Intermediate learners
What are Prepositions of Place?
Prepositions of Place (LokalprÀpositionen) are used to provide additional information about the location of a noun or pronoun in relation to other objects or places. They help create a clear picture of where something is and how it relates to its surroundings. We can classify the prepositions of place into five groups, based on their meaning:
Prepositions used to show Location
Prepositions used to show Position
Prepositions used to show Distance
Prepositions used to show Direction
Prepositions used for Enclosed Areas
Prepositions used to show Location
This category focuses on the specific relationship between an object and its immediate environment. They help specify exact placement in relation to the environment.
Preposition | English Meaning | Case |
|---|---|---|
an | at / on | Dative |
auf | on / at | Dative |
An (at / on)
An describes a position directly next to or touching a vertical surface, or being located at a boundary such as a window, riverbank, or entrance.
Das Bild hÀngt an der Wand.
The picture is hanging on the wall.
Wir warten an der Bushaltestelle.
We are waiting at the bus stop.
Auf (on / at)
Auf describes something resting on a horizontal surface or being located at a public place.
Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch.
The book lies on the table.
Wir sind auf dem Markt.
We are at the market.
Prepositions used to show Position
These prepositions describe how objects relate to each other in height - whether something is above, below, or at a higher/lower level.
Preposition | English Meaning | Case |
|---|---|---|
ĂŒber | above | Dative |
unter | under | Dative |
oberhalb | above | Genitive |
unterhalb | below | Genitive |
Ăber (above)
Ăber describes something located higher than another object, usually without touching it.
Die Lampe hĂ€ngt ĂŒber dem Tisch.
The lamp hangs above the table.
Ein Bild hĂ€ngt ĂŒber dem Sofa.
A picture hangs above the sofa.
Unter (under)
Unter indicates that something is lower than another object, either directly underneath or simply at a lower level.
Der Hund schlÀft unter dem Tisch.
The dog is sleeping under the table.
Die Schuhe stehen unter dem Bett.
The shoes are under the bed.
Oberhalb (above)
Oberhalb is a preposition used to describe something located at a higher elevation or above a defined reference point.
Das Dorf liegt oberhalb des Flusses.
The village lies above the river.
Die Burg steht oberhalb der Stadt.
The castle stands above the city.
Unterhalb (below)
Unterhalb is the counterpart to oberhalb and describes something located at a lower elevation or beneath a reference point.
Der Parkplatz liegt unterhalb des GebÀudes.
The parking area lies below the building.
Unterhalb des HĂŒgels beginnt der Wald.
Below the hill, the forest begins.
Prepositions used to show Distance
Also known as prepositions of proximity, these describe the horizontal gap or closeness between two objects. They help define side-by-side relationships.
Preposition | English Meaning | Case |
|---|---|---|
neben | next to | Dative |
zwischen | between | Dative |
gegenĂŒber | opposite / across from | Dative |
Neben (next to)
Neben describes something located immediately at the side of another object. It implies closeness without touching.
Der Stuhl steht neben dem Bett.
The chair is next to the bed.
Sie wohnt neben der Schule.
She lives next to the school.
Zwischen (between)
Zwischen is used when something is located in the space separating two or more objects. It emphasizes being surrounded on at least two sides.
Der Tisch steht zwischen den StĂŒhlen.
The table is between the chairs.
Die Schule liegt zwischen zwei Parks.
The school is located between two parks.
GegenĂŒber (opposite / across from)
GegenĂŒber describes something located directly facing another object, often across a street or open space. It creates a front-to-front relationship.
Die Apotheke liegt dem Rathaus gegenĂŒber.
The pharmacy is opposite the town hall.
Even when gegenĂŒber stands at the end of the sentence, it is still a preposition because it requires a noun phrase in the dative case and forms a fixed relationship with that noun.
Prepositions used to show Direction
These prepositions describe where something is located relative to the front or back of another object - but without movement.
Preposition | English Meaning | Case |
|---|---|---|
vor | in front of | Dative |
hinter | behind | Dative |
zu | at | Dative |
Vor (in front of)
Vor describes something positioned ahead of another object. It often implies visibility and accessibility.
Das Auto steht vor dem Haus.
The car is in front of the house.
Ein Baum steht vor dem Fenster.
A tree stands in front of the window.
Hinter (behind)
Hinter describes something located at the back of another object. It often implies being hidden or out of sight.
Der Garten liegt hinter dem Haus.
The garden is behind the house.
Die Katze schlÀft hinter dem Sofa.
The cat is sleeping behind the sofa.
Zu (at)
Zu describes being at a specific person's place or at a functional building.
Er ist zu Hause.
He is at home.
Die Kinder sind zu Peter.
The children are at Peter's place.
Prepositions used for Enclosed Areas
These prepositions define the interior and exterior boundaries of a space. They are essential for discussing being inside or outside a perimeter.
Preposition | English Meaning | Case |
|---|---|---|
in | in | Dative |
innerhalb | inside / within | Genitive |
auĂerhalb | outside | Genitive |
In (in)
In is the most common way to describe being inside a three-dimensional space. It implies enclosure or being surrounded by boundaries.
Wir sind im BĂŒro.
We are in the office.
Die SchlĂŒssel sind in der Tasche.
The keys are in the bag.
Innerhalb (inside)
Innerhalb is a formal preposition used to describe being within the limits of a defined area. It is common in rules, regulations, and official descriptions.
Rauchen ist innerhalb des GebÀudes verboten.
Smoking is forbidden inside the building.
Innerhalb der Stadt gibt es viele Museen.
Within the city, there are many museums.
auĂerhalb (outside)
AuĂerhalb describes being outside the boundaries of a defined area. It is often used in administrative or geographical contexts.
Das Hotel liegt auĂerhalb der Stadt.
The hotel is located outside the city.
AuĂerhalb des Parks gibt es ParkplĂ€tze.
Outside the park, there are parking spaces.
Contractions (Preposition + Article)
German often combines prepositions with articles. These are common and should be learned as fixed forms.
Contraction | Meaning | From |
|---|---|---|
im | in the | in + dem |
ins | into the | in + das |
am | at the | an + dem |
ans | to the | an + das |
vom | from the | von + dem |
zur | to the (fem.) | zu + der |
zum | to the (masc./neut.) | zu + dem |
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