German Topic
Frequently asked questions: Prepositional Verbs in German.
In the realm of German grammar, certain verbs form inherent bonds with specific prepositions, creating phrases with unique meanings. These verb-preposition combinations, known in German as "Präpositionalverben" or "Verben mit festen Präpositionen," are pillars for accurate communication. The preposition is a fixed part of these expressions and cannot be altered without changing the sentence's meaning or causing confusion.
For example - "Wir achten auf die Details"
The correct preposition to use with 'achten' to convey the meaning of 'to pay attention to' is 'auf', forming the phrase 'achten auf'. The sentence 'Wir achten auf die Details' translates to 'We pay attention to the details.' The other prepositions cannot be used to express the concept of paying attention to something. Fun Fact: 'Achten auf' requires the accusative case.
For example - "Er arbeitet an einem neuen Projekt"
The correct preposition to use with 'arbeiten' to convey the meaning of 'to work on' is 'an', forming the phrase 'arbeiten an'. The sentence 'Er arbeitet an einem neuen Projekt' translates to 'He is working on a new project.' The other prepositions are not used to express the concept of working on something. Fun Fact: 'Arbeiten an' requires the dative case.
For example - "Erinnern Sie sich an meinen Namen?"
The correct preposition to use with "erinnern" to convey the meaning of "to remember" is "an", making the expression "sich erinnern an". The sentence "Erinnern Sie sich an meinen Namen" means "Do you remember my name".
For example - "Peter hat auf seine Freundin gewartet."
The correct preposition to use with "warten" to convey the meaning of "to wait for" is "auf", making the expression "warten auf". The sentence "Peter hat auf seine Freundin gewartet" means "Peter waited for his girlfriend." The other prepositions cannot be used to express the act of waiting for someone. Did you know? Prepositions in German can change the case of the noun that follows them. In the case of "warten auf", the preposition "auf" requires the noun to be in the accusative case.
For example - "Ich freue mich über mein Geburtstagsgeschenk"
The correct preposition to use with "sich freuen" to convey the meaning of "to be happy about" is "über", making the expression "sich freuen über". The sentence "Ich freue mich über mein Geburtstagsgeschenk" means "I am happy about my birthday gift.".
For example - "Ich spare für meine Reise"
The correct preposition to use with 'sparen' to convey the meaning of 'to save for' is 'für', forming the phrase 'sparen für'. The sentence 'Ich spare für meine Reise' translates to 'I am saving for my trip.' The other prepositions are not used to express the concept of saving for something. Fun Fact: 'Sparen für' requires the accusative case, as it typically involves a direct object – the thing or goal being saved for.
For example - "Viele Kinder glauben an den Weihnachtsmann"
The correct preposition to use with "glauben" to convey the meaning of "to believe in" is "an", making the expression "glauben an". The other prepositions cannot be used to express the act of believing in someone or something. The full sentence means "Many children believe in Father Christmas"
For example - "Ich denke an dich."
The correct preposition to use with "denken" to convey the meaning of "to think of" is "an", forming the phrase "denken an". The sentence "Ich denke an dich" translates to "I am thinking of you." The other prepositions are not used to express the concept of thinking of someone or something. Fun Fact: "Denken an" requires the accusative case, as it typically involves a direct object – the thing or person being thought of.
For example - "Ich warte auf den Bus"
The correct preposition to use with "warten" to convey the meaning of "to wait for" is "auf", making the expression "warten auf". The sentence "Ich warte auf den Bus" means "I am waiting for the bus." The other prepositions cannot be used to express the act of waiting for something or someone.Did you know? Prepositions in German can change the case of the noun that follows them. In the case of "warten auf", the preposition "auf" requires the noun to be in the accusative case.
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