An der Paketstation brauche ich einen Code auf dem Handy, sonst bekomme ich das Paket nicht.

At the parcel locker I need a code on my phone, otherwise I won’t get the package.

Breakdown of An der Paketstation brauche ich einen Code auf dem Handy, sonst bekomme ich das Paket nicht.

• ich: I
• nicht: not
• brauchen: to need
• auf: on
• sonst: otherwise
• das Paket: the package
• an: at
• das Handy: the phone
• der: the; (feminine, dative)
• bekommen: to get
• dem: the; (neuter, dative)
• einen: a; (masculine, accusative)
• die Paketstation: the parcel locker
• der Code: the code

Questions & Answers about An der Paketstation brauche ich einen Code auf dem Handy, sonst bekomme ich das Paket nicht.

Why is it an der Paketstation and not in der Paketstation?

Because the sentence treats Paketstation (a parcel locker/parcel station) as a location point you go to and stand at, so German commonly uses an + dative for “at” a specific spot: an der (dative feminine).
In der would emphasize being inside something enclosed. With a parcel station, you’re typically at the machine rather than inside it.

Why does it say brauche ich instead of ich brauche?

This is inversion (verb-second rule). The sentence starts with a non-subject element: An der Paketstation. In German main clauses, the conjugated verb stays in position 2, so the subject moves after it:
An der Paketstation (position 1) + brauche (position 2) + ich.

What case is used after an in an der Paketstation, and how do I know?

Here it’s dative: der Paketstation. With an (a two-way preposition), you choose:

• Dative for location (where?): an der Paketstation = “at the parcel station”
• Accusative for movement toward (where to?): an die Paketstation = “to the parcel station”

Why is it einen Code (accusative) but auf dem Handy (dative)?

Because:

• brauchen takes a direct object → accusative: einen Code
• auf is a two-way preposition; here it means location (“on/at the phone” in the sense of “on my phone”) → dative: auf dem Handy
  If it were movement (“onto the phone”), it would be accusative: auf das Handy.

Does auf dem Handy literally mean “on the phone”? Why not im Handy?

Yes, literally it’s “on the phone,” but idiomatically it means “on my phone / on my smartphone (screen/app).” German uses auf for content displayed on a device: auf dem Handy, auf dem Bildschirm (on the screen).
Im Handy (“in the phone”) would suggest inside the device physically or internally, and is not the normal way to say “on my phone” in the digital sense.

Why is it dem Handy and not meinem Handy?

German often uses a definite article where English uses a possessive, especially when ownership is obvious from context: auf dem Handy ≈ “on my phone.”
You can say auf meinem Handy if you want to emphasize “my (as opposed to yours)” or be extra explicit.

What does sonst mean here, and where does it go in the sentence?

sonst here means otherwise / if not. It introduces a consequence if the first condition isn’t met. Position-wise, it often sits at the start of the second clause:
..., sonst bekomme ich das Paket nicht.
You can also see sonst used more generally as “else” or “apart from that,” but here it’s clearly “otherwise.”

Why is there a comma before sonst?

Because sonst is linking two independent clauses with a cause–consequence relation. In German, it’s standard to separate such main clauses with a comma, especially with connectors like sonst in this meaning.

Why is it bekomme ich das Paket nicht instead of ich bekomme das Paket nicht?

Same reason as earlier: verb-second. The clause begins with sonst (position 1), so the verb comes next: bekomme (position 2), then ich.

Why is nicht at the very end?

nicht generally comes late in the clause and often at the end when it negates the verb phrase as a whole:
ich bekomme das Paket nicht = “I don’t get/receive the package.”
If you wanted to negate a specific element, nicht would move before that element (contrast): Ich bekomme nicht das Paket, sondern ... (“Not the package, but ...”).

What’s the difference between bekomme and kriege here?

Both can mean “get/receive.”

• bekommen is neutral and common in writing and formal contexts.
• kriegen is more informal/colloquial (though still very common).
  In this sentence, bekomme is a safe standard choice.

Why is it das Paket and not ein Paket?

das Paket refers to a specific package that’s expected/known in context (“the package I’m picking up”).
ein Paket would sound like “a random package” rather than the one you’re supposed to collect.

Could I also say bei der Paketstation?

Sometimes, but it changes the nuance:

• an der Paketstation = right at the parcel station/machine
• bei der Paketstation = near/by the parcel station (not necessarily directly at it)
  For using the machine, an der is usually the better fit.

Is Paketstation the same as Packstation?

In everyday German (especially in Germany), Packstation is very common, often associated with DHL parcel lockers. Paketstation can be used more generically, but Packstation is the term many learners will encounter most.

Could brauche ich be replaced with muss ich haben?

Yes, with a slight shift:

• brauche ich einen Code = “I need a code” (neutral)
• muss ich haben / ich muss einen Code haben = “I must have a code” (stronger obligation/requirement)
  Both can work depending on how strict the requirement feels.