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### Verbs with Fixed Prepositions (Dative)

Just as some verbs pair with prepositions that require the Accusative case, other verbs pair with prepositions that always require the **Dative** case. Whenever you learn a new verb, be sure to memorize its preposition and the case that follows it.

As a quick reminder, the Dative articles are **dem** (masculine/neuter), **der** (feminine), and **den** (plural).

### Congratulating: *gratulieren zu*

To congratulate someone *on* something, German uses **gratulieren zu**. Because **zu** always takes the Dative, the masculine noun **der Abschluss** (graduation) becomes **dem Abschluss**. Remember that **zu** + **dem** contracts to **zum**.

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### Dreaming: *träumen von*

In English you dream *of* or *about* things. In German, you use **träumen von**. The preposition **von** always takes the Dative case, so the feminine noun **die Feier** (celebration) takes the article **der**.

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### Participating: *teilnehmen an*

To say you are taking part in something, use **teilnehmen an**. Because **teilnehmen** is a separable verb, the prefix **teil** moves to the very end of the sentence.

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### Giving a speech and celebrating

At a celebration, you might hear a speech. To "give a speech" in German, use the phrase **eine Rede halten** (literally: to hold a speech). Afterwards, the audience (**das Publikum**) might clap (**klatschen**).

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### Conversing: *sich unterhalten mit*

To talk or chat *with* someone, use the reflexive verb **sich unterhalten**, followed by the preposition **mit**. 

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### Saying goodbye: *sich verabschieden von*

When it is time to leave, you say goodbye *to* people, but in German, you say goodbye *from* them using the reflexive verb **sich verabschieden von**. 

Notice two things in the examples below: **von** + **dem** contracts to **vom**, and plural nouns in the Dative case take the article **den** and often add an **-n** to the end of the noun (like *den Kollegen*).

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Verbs with fixed prepositions (Dative)

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 graduation	der Abschluss
We congratulate you on the graduation.	Wir gratulieren dir zum Abschluss.
to dream of	träumen von
the celebration	die Feier
After the graduation, she dreams of the big celebration.	Nach dem Abschluss träumt sie von der großen Feier.
Are you also dreaming of the celebration?	Träumst du auch von der Feier?
to participate in	teilnehmen an
Who is participating in the celebration?	Wer nimmt an der Feier teil?
All colleagues are participating in the celebration.	Alle Kollegen nehmen an der Feier teil.
to give (a speech)	halten
the speech	die Rede
the audience	das Publikum
The boss gives the speech and the audience listens.	Der Chef hält die Rede und das Publikum hört zu.
When the boss gives the speech, the audience is quiet.	Wenn der Chef die Rede hält, ist das Publikum leise.
to clap	klatschen
The audience claps after the speech.	Das Publikum klatscht nach der Rede.
the sparkling wine	der Sekt
We drink sparkling wine and clap loudly.	Wir trinken Sekt und klatschen laut.
to converse with	sich unterhalten mit
I am chatting with the new guest.	Ich unterhalte mich mit dem neuen Gast.
Why are the guests chatting with the boss?	Warum unterhalten sich die Gäste mit dem Chef?
to say goodbye to	sich verabschieden von
Then we say goodbye to the audience.	Dann verabschieden wir uns vom Publikum.
She says goodbye to the colleagues.	Sie verabschiedet sich von den Kollegen.
The singer drinks sparkling wine and dreams of the celebration.	Der Sänger trinkt Sekt und träumt von der Feier.
of it, from it, about it	davon
I know nothing about it.	Ich weiß nichts davon.
We will talk about it tomorrow.	Wir sprechen morgen davon.

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