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### Referring to things with prepositions: *da-* compounds

In English, when you refer back to an inanimate object or idea after a preposition, you use phrases like "with it" or "for it." In German, you cannot use regular pronouns for objects in this way. Instead, you combine **da-** with the preposition.

If the preposition begins with a consonant, simply attach it directly to **da-**:
- **da** + **mit** = **damit** (with it)
- **da** + **für** = **dafür** (for it)

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### Adding an *-r-* for vowels

Just like with the **wo-** question words, if the preposition begins with a vowel, you must insert an **-r-** between them to make the word easier to pronounce:
- **da** + **r** + **über** = **darüber** (about it / over it)
- **da** + **r** + **auf** = **darauf** (on it)

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These compounds are incredibly common when giving instructions, referring to tools you are using, or telling someone where to put something:

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Prepositional pronouns for things (da-)

adjective

adverb

auxiliary verb

conjunction

determiner

interjection

noun

numeral

particle

preposition

pronoun

sentence

verb

Definite articles and gender (der, die, das)

Indefinite articles (ein, eine)

Regular verbs and statement word order (ich -e, er -t)

The second person (du -st, Sie -en)

Yes/No questions

The verb 'to have' (habe, hast, hat)

Plural pronouns and regular verbs (wir, ihr, sie)

Plural 'to be' and 'to have' (sind, haben)

Plural nouns and the plural article (die)

Sentence negation (nicht)

Noun negation (kein, keine)

Question words (wer, was, wo, wie)

Numbers 0 to 12 (null, eins, zwei)

The accusative case (den, die, das)

Indefinite accusative articles (einen, keinen)

Direct object pronouns (mich, dich, ihn)

There is / there are (es gibt)

Vowel changes: e to i/ie (er spricht, sie liest)

Vowel changes: a to ä (er fährt)

Weather and conditions (es regnet)

First- and second-person possessives in the nominative (mein, dein, Ihr)

First- and second-person possessives in the accusative (meinen, deinen, Ihren)

Third-person and plural possessives (sein, ihr, unser, euer)

Possession with names (Annas Auto)

Demonstrative pronouns (dieser, diese, dieses)

Expressing preference (gern, lieber)

Asking about direction and origin (woher, wohin)

Expressing ability (können)

Polite requests (möchten)

Expressing intention (wollen)

Modal verbs of obligation and permission (müssen, dürfen)

Separable prefix verbs

Adverbs of frequency (immer, oft, manchmal, nie)

The Dative case and definite articles (dem, der, den)

Dative indefinite and negative articles (einem, einer, keinem)

Dative personal pronouns (mir, dir, ihm, ihr...)

Dative verbs (helfen, danken, gefallen, schmecken)

Dative prepositions (aus, bei, mit, nach...)

Accusative prepositions (für, ohne, gegen)

Two-way prepositions for location (in, an, auf...)

Informal singular imperative (mach, komm)

Plural and formal imperative (macht, machen Sie)

Coordinating conjunctions (und, oder, aber, denn)

Simple past of sein and haben (war, hatte)

The perfect tense: regular verbs (gemacht, gespielt)

Past tense: irregular verbs (ge-...-en)

The perfect tense: mixed verbs (gebracht, gekannt)

The perfect tense with sein (ist gegangen)

The perfect tense: separable verbs (eingekauft)

The perfect tense: inseparable and -ieren verbs (besucht, studiert)

Informal singular commands (mach, lern)

Numbers 13 to 20 (dreizehn to zwanzig)

Counting by tens to 100 (dreißig, vierzig)

Telling time (Uhr, halb, Viertel, vor, nach)

Numbers 21 to 99 (einundzwanzig, zweiunddreißig)

Greetings and farewells

Thank you, sorry and good wishes

Everyday replies

Numbers 100 to 1,000,000 (hundert, tausend...)

Becoming and getting (werden)

The impersonal pronoun (man)

Indefinite pronouns (jemand, niemand...)

Time sequence prepositions (vor, nach, bei)

Time span prepositions (von... bis, seit, für)

Adverbs of sequence (zuerst, dann, danach)

Two-way prepositions for direction (in, auf, an...)

Directional adverbs (hin, her)

Placement verbs (setzen, stellen, legen)

Months of the year (Januar, Februar)

The four seasons (Frühling, Sommer)

Time prepositions and indefinite pronouns (an, in, um)

Ordinal numbers 1st to 19th (am ersten)

Ordinals 20th and beyond (-ste, -sten)

Placement vs. location verbs (stellen vs. stehen)

Accusative reflexive pronouns (mich, dich, sich)

Accusative reflexive verbs (sich freuen)

Dative reflexive pronouns (mir, dir, sich)

Dative reflexive verbs (sich etwas merken)

Ordinal numbers 11th to 19th (-te)

Temporal prepositions (an, in, um)

Double objects with nouns

Double objects with pronouns

The modal verb for advice (sollen)

Simple past of modal verbs (musste, wollte...)

Simple past of common irregulars (wurde, wusste, es gab)

Adverbial connectors of consequence (deshalb, darum...)

Subordinate clauses for statements (dass)

Question	Answer
the tool	das Werkzeug
Do you have the tool? I need it for the window.	Hast du das Werkzeug? Ich brauche es für das Fenster.
with it	damit
Yes, you can repair the window with it.	Ja, du kannst das Fenster damit reparieren.
the hammer	der Hammer
the nail	der Nagel
for it	dafür
I am building a table. I need a hammer and a nail for it.	Ich baue einen Tisch. Ich brauche einen Hammer und einen Nagel dafür.
I need the hammer, because I am building a table with it.	Ich brauche den Hammer, weil ich damit einen Tisch baue.
to measure	messen
We have a new tool. You must measure the wood with it.	Wir haben ein neues Werkzeug. Du musst das Holz damit messen.
I knew that the nail is too long. Did you measure it?	Ich wusste, dass der Nagel zu lang ist. Hast du ihn gemessen?
the paintbrush	der Pinsel
to paint (walls, surfaces)	streichen
Here is the paintbrush. Please paint the wall!	Hier ist der Pinsel. Bitte streich die Wand!
about it, over it	darüber
Do not be annoyed about it, because the tool is new!	Ärgere dich nicht darüber, weil das Werkzeug neu ist!
The project is important. We often speak about it.	Das Projekt ist wichtig. Wir sprechen oft darüber.
on it	darauf
Lay the wood on the table and put the hammer on it!	Leg das Holz auf den Tisch und leg den Hammer darauf!
The chair is broken. Do not sit on it!	Der Stuhl ist kaputt. Setz dich nicht darauf!
Where are the paintbrushes? There were no paintbrushes here!	Wo sind die Pinsel? Es gab hier keine Pinsel!
We are painting the house and need paint for it.	Wir streichen das Haus und brauchen Farbe dafür.
to that, with it, in addition	dazu
What do you say to that?	Was sagst du dazu?
I would like a salad with it.	Ich möchte einen Salat dazu.
with me/us; present, along	dabei
I do not have any money on me.	Ich habe kein Geld dabei.
Are you coming along tomorrow?	Bist du morgen dabei?
against it	dagegen
I am against it.	Ich bin dagegen.
Are you for it or against it?	Bist du dafür oder dagegen?

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