Today's words · 📍 Prepositions of place
Where is it? 10 little German words that tell you
A1A2
Where are the keys? Where's the pharmacy? Without these tiny words, you can't answer.
At a German friend's flat, I asked, “Wo ist das Bad?” The answer: “Hinter der Küche, neben dem Schlafzimmer.” Short words — but my mind went blank.
Today's ten words are prepositions of place. With them you can say where things are, ask the way and understand directions. 📍
📋 The ten words at a glance
🧠 Words, examples and memory tricks
in
[IN]in; into(+ dat.(location) / acc.(direction))
📌 Die Milch ist im Kühlschrank.
→ The milk is in the fridge.
💡 Just like English in 📦 The milk in the fridge is im Kühlschrank.
⚠ Where? takes the dative (im); where to? takes the accusative (ins): Ich gehe ins Kino.
auf
[OWF]on (top of); onto(+ dat./acc.)
📌 Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch.
→ The book is on the table.
💡 Same root as English up 📚 On top and touching: auf!
⚠ Above without touching is über. Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch.
unter
[OON-ter]under, below; among(+ dat./acc.)
📌 Die Katze liegt unter dem Tisch.
→ The cat is lying under the table.
💡 Almost identical to English under 🐈 The cat under the table: unter dem Tisch.
Bonus unter uns = between you and me
neben
[NAY-ben]next to, beside(+ dat./acc.)
📌 Die Bank ist neben der Post.
→ The bank is next to the post office.
💡 A squashed form of in eben, ‘level with’ 🧍♂️ Side by side = next to.
Bonus Die Bank ist neben der Post. = The bank is next to the post office.
hinter
[HIN-ter]behind(+ dat./acc.)
📌 Der Garten ist hinter dem Haus.
→ The garden is behind the house.
💡 A cousin of English behind and hind 🏡 The garden behind the house: hinter dem Haus.
⚠ Location takes the dative (hinter dem Haus), movement the accusative (hinter das Haus).
zwischen
[TSVISH-en]between(+ dat./acc.)
📌 Die Apotheke ist zwischen der Bank und der Post.
→ The pharmacy is between the bank and the post office.
💡 zwei (two) is hiding in it ✌️ Squeezed between two things.
Bonus zwischen der Bank und der Post = between the bank and the post office
an
[AHN]at, on (touching); by(+ dat./acc. · = am)
📌 Das Bild hängt an der Wand.
→ The picture is hanging on the wall.
💡 Same root as English on 🖼️ Touching a side, like a picture on the wall: an.
Bonus an + dem = am: am Fenster (by the window), am Montag (on Monday)
über
[Ü-ber]over, above; about(+ dat./acc.)
📌 Die Lampe hängt über dem Tisch.
→ The lamp hangs above the table.
💡 Same root as English over 💡 The lamp hanging over the table: über dem Tisch.
Bonus It also means ‘about’: über das Wetter sprechen
gegenüber
[gay-gen-Ü-ber]opposite, across from; towards (attitude)(preposition + dat.)
📌 Die Bank ist gegenüber der Post.
→ The bank is opposite the post office.
💡 gegen (towards) + über (across) = across the road ↔️
⚠ Always dative, and it comes after pronouns: mir gegenüber.
bei
[BYE]at (sb's place), with, near; during(+ dat.)
📌 Ich wohne bei meinen Eltern.
→ I live with my parents.
💡 Same root as English by 🏠 By someone, or at their place: bei.
⚠ Always dative. bei + dem = beim: Ich bin beim Arzt.
🇩🇪 A spoonful of German culture
Ask for directions in Germany and you'll usually get a very precise answer, like “Gegenüber der Apotheke, neben dem Supermarkt.” With today's words, directions get much easier to follow.
Watch out with floors! The ground floor is das Erdgeschoss, so im ersten Stock is one floor up — what Americans call the second floor. Easy to get wrong when you're meeting someone.
And ‘at someone's place’ is simply bei: Ich bin bei Anna. = I'm at Anna's. Germans use it all the time. 🏠
✅ Quick quiz
Q. The cat is asleep under the table. Which sentence is right?
- ① Die Katze liegt unter dem Tisch.
- ② Die Katze liegt auf dem Tisch.
- ③ Die Katze liegt über dem Tisch.
Show the answer
① Die Katze liegt unter dem Tisch.
unter means under; auf is on the table, and über is above it.
Look around your room and say where five things are, in German. Das Handy liegt auf dem Tisch! 📱
🔜 Tomorrow's topic: ⏳ Prepositions of time