Breakdown of Ich warte am Schalter.
dem
the; (masculine or neuter, dative)
ich
I
warten
to wait
an
at
der Schalter
the counter
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching German grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Ich warte am Schalter.
What does am mean in Ich warte am Schalter?
am is the contraction of an dem. So am Schalter literally means at the counter (at + the counter).
Why is the dative case used here?
With two-way prepositions like an, you use:
- Dative for location (no movement): am Schalter = at the counter.
- Accusative for direction (movement): an den Schalter = to the counter.
When would I say an den Schalter instead?
Use the accusative for movement toward the counter:
- Ich gehe an den Schalter. = I’m going to the counter. For being/staying there, stick with dative: Ich warte am Schalter.
Could I say bei dem Schalter or beim Schalter?
It’s uncommon. bei means at/near someone’s place or a general location (e.g., bei der Post = at the post office). For a specific service counter, am Schalter is the idiomatic choice.
Is im Schalter or auf dem Schalter ever correct?
- im Schalter (in the counter) is wrong for this meaning.
- auf dem Schalter means physically on top of the counter (weird unless you’re literally sitting on it).
What exactly is a Schalter?
Here der Schalter means a service counter/window (bank, post office, ticket desk). It can also mean a switch (e.g., Lichtschalter), but with warten, the counter meaning is the natural one.
What’s the gender and plural of Schalter?
- Gender: masculine — der Schalter
- Dative singular: dem Schalter (hence am Schalter)
- Plural: die Schalter (no change in the noun)
- Dative plural: den Schaltern (e.g., an den Schaltern = at the counters)
Do I always need an article? Can I say an Schalter 3?
Usually you need an article, but when the counter is labeled/numbered, you can drop it:
- Ich warte an Schalter 3. Otherwise use am Schalter or an einem Schalter.
How do I say I’m waiting for someone/something at the counter?
Use warten auf + accusative for what you’re waiting for, and am for the location:
- Ich warte am Schalter auf dich.
- Ich warte am Schalter auf den Busfahrplan. Don’t use für after warten.
How do I ask what/who someone is waiting for at the counter?
- Thing: Worauf wartest du am Schalter?
- Person: Auf wen wartest du am Schalter?
Is warten auf a separable verb like aufstehen?
No. warten is the verb and auf starts a prepositional phrase. In a subordinate clause you still keep the preposition with its object:
- …, weil ich am Schalter auf dich warte. (not separated)
How is warten conjugated in the present tense?
- ich warte
- du wartest
- er/sie/es wartet
- wir warten
- ihr wartet
- sie/Sie warten An extra -e- appears before some endings because the stem ends in t.
How do I say this in the past?
- Spoken past (perfect): Ich habe am Schalter gewartet.
- Simple past (preterite, more written): Ich wartete am Schalter.
How do I give a command to wait at the counter?
- Informal singular: Warte am Schalter!
- Informal plural: Wartet am Schalter!
- Formal: Warten Sie am Schalter!
How do I negate it?
To negate the location, say: Ich warte nicht am Schalter.
This says you are not at the counter (you might be waiting somewhere else).
How does word order work if I add a time expression?
German typically prefers time before place:
- Ich warte morgen am Schalter. You can also front the time: Morgen warte ich am Schalter.
Does Ich warte mean both “I wait” and “I am waiting”?
Yes. German has one present tense for both simple and progressive meanings. Ich warte am Schalter = I wait / I am waiting at the counter.
Any pronunciation tips?
- Ich: the ch is a soft hiss [ç], not like English ch.
- warte: w sounds like English v; final -e is a schwa.
- Schalter: sch = “sh”; -er is often a reduced sound [ɐ].