A2 · Two-way prepositions
in die Küche / in der Küche
destination takes accusative, location takes dative
Formin + Akkusativ (wohin?) / in + Dativ (wo?)
Meaning and usage
Some prepositions, including in, take the accusative when the phrase answers wohin? and the dative when it answers wo?. The choice depends on meaning, not on whether the verb describes movement. Ich gehe in die Küche shows a destination, so die Küche is accusative. Ich koche in der Küche shows a location, so der Küche is dative.
The common mistake is to use the accusative for any sentence with movement. But Ich laufe in der Stadt is dative because the running happens inside the city, not towards it. Ask wohin? or wo? to choose the case.
Examples 5
Ich gehe in die Küche.
I'm going into the kitchen.
Ich koche in der Küche.
I'm cooking in the kitchen.
Ich laufe in der Stadt.
I'm running around town.
Warum warst du gestern nicht in der Schule?
Why weren't you at school yesterday?
Sie brachte das Buch zurück in die Bibliothek.
She returned the book to the library.
Test yourself
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1 Sprachbausteine
Wir gehen jetzt Schule.
Show answer
Correct answer: in die
gehen expresses a destination, so the phrase answers wohin? and Schule is feminine accusative: in die Schule.
- in der is dative feminine, which would describe a location, not a destination.
- in den is accusative masculine, but Schule is feminine.
- in dem is dative masculine or neuter, but Schule is feminine.
In this topic: Two-way prepositions
- in die Küche / in der Küche destination takes accusative, location takes dative
- auf dem Tisch, auf den Tisch auf + dative for where, auf + accusative for where to
- an der Wand, an die Wand an + dative for where, an + accusative for where to
- über dem Tisch, unter das Bett über and unter for place: over, across, under
- vor dem Haus, hinter dem Haus vor and hinter for in front of and behind
- neben dem Stuhl, zwischen den Bäumen neben and zwischen for place, next to and between
- ans Meer, auf den Markt, in die Stadt choosing in, an or auf for places
- legen / liegen legen lays something down, liegen means to be lying
- stellen / stehen stellen for putting upright, stehen for standing
- sich setzen / sitzen to sit down vs to be sitting
- hängen: hängte / hing hang something vs be hanging
- in einer Woche, in zwei Stunden in + dative for a future point in time
Example sentences from Tatoeba, used under CC BY 2.0 FR. See sources.