German Grammar A–Z
Look up German grammar topics A–Z, organized by category and level — with clear explanations and examples.
Temporal Expressions: Accusative or Dative
Temporale Angaben are words that answer the question wann and are used to specify when something takes place. German learners often get confused about whether temporale Angaben are declined in the Akkusativ or the Dativ. In today's article Vogel will explore this topic with you. Let's get started!!!
- Temporale Angaben can be declined in both the Akkusativ and the Dativ. The difference is that when used with the Akkusativ, temporale Angaben are not accompanied by a preposition. Conversely, when used with the Dativ, temporale Angaben are accompanied by a preposition (z.B.: an, in, seit, vor, nach).
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Temporale Angaben + Akkusativ |
Temporale Angaben + Dativ |
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Fährst du dieses Jahr im Urlaub? Are you going on vacation this year? |
Fährst du in diesem Jahr im Urlaub? Are you going on vacation this year? |
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Was machst du nächstes Wochenende? What will you do next weekend? |
Was machst du am nächsten Wochenende? What will you do next weekend? |
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Letzte Nacht war Vollmond. Last night there was a full moon. |
In der letzten Nacht war Vollmond. Last night there was a full moon. |
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Anne wohnt schon 10 Jahre in Hamburg. Anne has been living in Hamburg for 10 years. |
Anne wohnt schon seit 10 Jahren in Hamburg. Anne has been living in Hamburg for 10 years. |
!!! Note: dies-. jed-, nächst-, letzt- are declined following the German adjective-ending rules.
