Der Akkusativ nach für, ohne und gegen

You will learn the accusative after three German prepositions, then practise with four questions.

First, learn the rule. Use the accusative after für, ohne and gegen.

These prepositions determine the case of the noun phrase that follows them. Für means for, ohne means without, and gegen means against. The pattern is für, ohne, or gegen followed by an accusative noun phrase.

With masculine nouns, der changes to den. The nominative der Mann becomes the accusative den Mann. Similarly, ein Mann becomes einen Mann.

Feminine die Frau stays die Frau. Neuter das Kind stays das Kind. Plural die Kinder stays die Kinder.

For example, für den Mann means for the man. Notice that den marks the masculine accusative. Ohne einen Mantel means without a coat.

Here, einen is the masculine accusative form of ein. Gegen das Gesetz means against the law. The neuter article das does not change.

A common mistake is keeping der or ein before a masculine noun after these prepositions. Always let the preposition decide the case, not the noun's role elsewhere.

Question one. Ich kaufe ein Geschenk für ____ Vater. Option A, der. Option B, den. Option C, dem.

The signal word is für, which requires the accusative. Vater is masculine, so its definite article must take the masculine accusative form. Choose option B, den.

Option A, der, is nominative, so it does not fit here. Option C, dem, is dative, so it does not fit either. Ich kaufe ein Geschenk für den Vater.

Question two. Er geht ohne ____ Mantel aus. Option A, ein. Option B, einem. Option C, einen.

The signal word is ohne, which requires the accusative. Mantel is masculine, so the indefinite article changes from ein to einen. Choose option C, einen.

Option A, ein, is the masculine nominative form, so it does not fit. Option B, einem, is dative, not accusative. Er geht ohne einen Mantel aus.

Question three. Der Ball prallt gegen ____ Wand. Option A, die. Option B, der. Option C, den.

The signal word is gegen, which requires the accusative. Wand is feminine, and its definite article stays die in the accusative. Choose option A, die.

Option B, der, is not the feminine accusative article. Option C, den, is the masculine accusative article, but Wand is feminine. Der Ball prallt gegen die Wand.

Question four. Das Geschenk ist für ____ Kind. Option A, dem. Option B, den. Option C, das.

The signal word is für, which requires the accusative. Kind is neuter, so its definite article stays das in the accusative. Choose option C, das.

Option A, dem, is dative, not accusative. Option B, den, is the masculine accusative article, but Kind is neuter. Das Geschenk ist für das Kind.