Das Schutzblech ist über dem Reifen.

The mudguard is above the tire.

Breakdown of Das Schutzblech ist über dem Reifen.

• sein: to be
• über: over
• der Reifen: the tire
• das Schutzblech: the bicycle mudguard

Questions & Answers about Das Schutzblech ist über dem Reifen.

Why is it das Schutzblech and not der or die Schutzblech?

Schutzblech is a neuter noun in German, so its nominative singular article is das.

In this sentence, das Schutzblech is the subject, so it stays in the nominative:

• das Schutzblech

A good thing to remember is that every German noun has a grammatical gender:

• der = masculine
• die = feminine
• das = neuter

So you have to learn Schutzblech as das Schutzblech, not just the bare noun.

Why is it dem Reifen and not der Reifen or den Reifen?

It is dem Reifen because the preposition über is being used here with the dative case.

German prepositions like über can take:

• accusative when there is movement toward a destination
• dative when describing a fixed location

Here, the sentence describes location: the fender is above the tire. Nothing is moving from one place to another. So German uses the dative:

• über dem Reifen = above the tire

Since Reifen is masculine (der Reifen), its dative singular form is:

• dem Reifen