Moving Along: entlang
Most prepositions come right before the noun they modify. However, when describing motion or a route along something (like a river, shore, or road), the directional preposition entlang (along) is placed immediately after the noun.
When used this way to show direction or movement, the noun that precedes entlang must take the Accusative case. Notice how the masculine noun der Kanal changes to den Kanal.
| We are traveling along the canal with the ship. | Wir fahren mit dem Schiff den Kanal entlang. |
| The small boat is traveling along the shore. | Das kleine Boot fährt das Ufer entlang. |
Enjoying the Cruise
You will frequently use entlang when talking about boat trips. Whether you are sailing along a river (den Fluss) or the coast (die Küste), you can use the verb genießen (to enjoy) to talk about the experience.
| We are traveling along the river and enjoying the view. | Wir fahren den Fluss entlang und genießen die Aussicht. |
| The captain is sailing the ship along the coast. | Der Kapitän fährt das Schiff die Küste entlang. |
When describing the rest of your nautical journey, you will encounter words like der Passagier (the passenger) and der Hafen (the port). Remember that just like motion with entlang, the verb genießen also requires its direct object to be in the accusative case (for example, die schöne Aussicht).
| Every passenger enjoys the beautiful view. | Jeder Passagier genießt die schöne Aussicht. |
| Many passengers are waiting in the port for the ship. | Viele Passagiere warten im Hafen auf das Schiff. |
