German grammatical cases (Kasus) are the system of four inflectional forms—Nominativ, Akkusativ, Dativ, and Genitiv—that indicate the grammatical function of a noun or noun phrase within a sentence. Each case answers a specific question (Wer? Wen? Wem? Wessen?) and determines how articles, adjectives, and pronouns change their endings.
German grammatical cases (Kasus) are the system of four inflectional forms—Nominativ, Akkusativ, Dativ, and Genitiv—that indicate the grammatical function of a noun or noun phrase within a sentence. Each case answers a specific question (Wer? Wen? Wem? Wessen?) and determines how articles, adjectives, and pronouns change their endings.
Rule: Articles change their form based on case, gender, and number—the same noun phrase transforms as its grammatical function changes.
Example (Transformation): Der Arzt (Nominativ: subject) → Ich besuche den Arzt (Akkusativ: direct object) → Ich vertraue dem Arzt (Dativ: indirect object) → Das Büro des Arztes (Genitiv: possession).
Contrast: English "the doctor" remains unchanged regardless of function; German der/den/dem/des Arzt signals grammatical role through article transformation and, in Genitiv, noun suffix.
Each case serves a distinct grammatical function and is identified by asking a specific question.
Question: Wer oder was? (Who or what?)
Function: Identifies the subject of the sentence – the person or thing performing the action.
Question: Wen oder was? (Whom or what?)
Function: Marks the direct object – the person or thing directly affected by the action.
Question: Wem? (To whom?)
Function: Marks the indirect object – the person who receives or benefits from the action.
Question: Wessen? (Whose?)
Function: Shows possession or belonging.
Articles change their form depending on the case. This table shows the definite article declension across all four cases.
| Kasus | Maskulin | Feminin | Neutral | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | der Mann | die Frau | das Kind | die Leute |
| Akkusativ | den Mann | die Frau | das Kind | die Leute |
| Dativ | dem Mann | der Frau | dem Kind | den Leuten |
| Genitiv | des Mannes | der Frau | des Kindes | der Leute |
Genitiv Singular (Maskulin & Neutral): Add -(e)s
Dativ Plural: Add -n to most nouns (if they don't already end in -n)
A. Verben: Some verbs require specific cases
Example: Ich zeige dem Chef (Dativ) den Bericht (Akkusativ).
Prepositions always govern a specific case:
Look how the same noun changes form depending on its role in the sentence:
Ask the specific question for each case: Wer oder was? (Nominativ for subject), Wen oder was? (Akkusativ for direct object), Wem? (Dativ for indirect object), Wessen? (Genitiv for possession). Verbs and prepositions also govern specific cases.
Akkusativ marks the direct object (who/what receives the action directly): Ich sehe den Mann. Dativ marks the indirect object (to/for whom): Ich helfe dem Mann. Many verbs govern one specific case.
German articles inflect to show grammatical relationships—the ending signals whether a noun is the subject, object, or possessor. English lost most case inflections and relies on word order instead.
Most nouns remain unchanged except: masculine and neutral nouns add -(e)s in Genitiv singular (des Mannes), and most plural nouns add -n in Dativ plural (den Kindern).
Ask the specific question for each case: Wer oder was? (Nominativ for subject), Wen oder was? (Akkusativ for direct object), Wem? (Dativ for indirect object), Wessen? (Genitiv for possession). Verbs and prepositions also govern specific cases.
Akkusativ marks the direct object (who/what receives the action directly): Ich sehe den Mann. Dativ marks the indirect object (to/for whom): Ich helfe dem Mann. Many verbs govern one specific case.
German articles inflect to show grammatical relationships—the ending signals whether a noun is the subject, object, or possessor. English lost most case inflections and relies on word order instead.
Most nouns remain unchanged except: masculine and neutral nouns add -(e)s in Genitiv singular (des Mannes), and most plural nouns add -n in Dativ plural (den Kindern).