German: cases and word order made reliable
German accuracy marks live in two places: the case endings and the position of the verb. Fix those and everything else follows.
Lesson overview
What you'll learn in this lesson
Apply German case and word-order rules accurately in speech and writing.
Key learning points
- • The four cases
- • Prepositions that fix the case
- • Verb-second and the sending rule
- • Time, manner, place
This lesson at a glance
- 30 minutes
- 17 parts to scroll through
- 4 quick checks
- Marked quiz at the end
- Gentle pace: short sittings with pauses
Words to know
Scroll down — the lesson carries on below
Watch & discover
Part 1 of 17
Watch first
German: cases and word order made reliable
An English teaching video on this topic from mugridge language. Watch it, then scroll down for the lesson.
In a nutshell
Apply German case and word-order rules accurately in speech and writing.
Learning cycle
Part 2 of 17
Learning cycle 1 of 2
Part 1 · The four cases
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 3 of 17
Learn
The four cases
Nominative for the subject, accusative for the direct object, dative for the indirect object, genitive for possession. Masculine is where the change shows: der Hund (nom) becomes den Hund (acc) and dem Hund (dat). Feminine, neuter and plural change less, which is why masculine errors cost most.
Explore the idea
Part 4 of 17
Learn
Prepositions that fix the case
Accusative: für, um, durch, gegen, ohne. Dative: mit, nach, aus, zu, von, bei, seit. Dual-case prepositions such as in, an and auf take the accusative for movement towards and the dative for position: ich gehe in die Stadt, ich bin in der Stadt.
Quick check
Part 5 of 17
Quick check
Which case follows 'mit'?
Quick check
Part 6 of 17
Quick check
Complete: 'Ich gehe in ___ Stadt' (movement)
Learning cycle
Part 7 of 17
Learning cycle 2 of 2
Part 2 · Verb-second and the sending rule
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Reset break
Part 8 of 17
Pause
That's sitting 1 of 2 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Explore the idea
Part 9 of 17
Learn
Verb-second and the sending rule
The finite verb is the second idea in a main clause, so starting with a time phrase inverts subject and verb: Gestern bin ich ins Kino gegangen. Subordinating conjunctions such as weil, dass and obwohl send the verb to the end: … weil es sehr interessant war.
Explore the idea
Part 10 of 17
Learn
Time, manner, place
Adverbial information comes in the order time, manner, place: Ich fahre jeden Tag mit dem Bus in die Schule. Getting this order right is a quick, reliable accuracy mark in every piece of writing.
Quick check
Part 11 of 17
Quick check
Where does the verb go after 'weil'?
Quick check
Part 12 of 17
Quick check
Which order is correct?
Explore the idea
Part 13 of 17
Worked example
Model paragraph with cases and inversion
In meiner Freizeit spiele ich gern Gitarre, weil Musik mir hilft, mich zu entspannen. Letztes Wochenende bin ich mit meinem Bruder in die Stadt gefahren, und wir haben neue Saiten für die Gitarre gekauft. Nächstes Jahr möchte ich in einer Band spielen, obwohl ich ein bisschen nervös bin. — Note the inversion after 'In meiner Freizeit' and 'Letztes Wochenende', the verb at the end after weil and obwohl, the dative after mit, and the accusative after in for movement.
Challenge round
Part 14 of 17
Game · Sort it
Which of these are true?
Drag each card into the right column. Tap a card first if dragging is fiddly.
True
Not true
Challenge round
Part 15 of 17
Game · Fill the gaps
Finish the sentences
Choose the word that belongs in each gap.
Getting this order right is a quick, reliable accuracy mark in every piece of ____.
Mastery quiz
Part 16 of 17
Marked quiz
End of lesson quiz: German: cases and word order made reliable
4 questions, marked with the reasoning shown. No timer.
1. Which case follows 'mit'?
2. Complete: 'Ich gehe in ___ Stadt' (movement)
3. Where does the verb go after 'weil'?
4. Which order is correct?
Lesson round-up
Part 17 of 17
Lesson round-up
Ready when you are
Quiz score
Not sat
Games
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Points this lesson
0
Best run
0 in a row
Luna: 0 out of 4 on the practice checks. Only if you feel up to it — one more?
Ask LunaDo the work
Your written work for this lesson
This is the part you'd do in your book at school. Pick the pieces below, write here or on paper, and photograph anything you draw or work out.
Une journée à Lyon
Samedi matin, je me lève à sept heures et demie. Je prends le petit déjeuner avec ma sœur — du pain, du beurre et un chocolat chaud. Ensuite, nous prenons le bus jusqu'au centre-ville.
J'aime beaucoup Lyon parce qu'il y a un grand marché près du fleuve. Ma sœur préfère les magasins, mais moi, je préfère le marché : c'est moins cher et c'est plus intéressant. À midi, nous mangeons un sandwich au parc.
L'après-midi, il commence à pleuvoir, alors nous rentrons à la maison en tram. Le soir, je fais mes devoirs et je regarde un film avec mes parents.
Original text written for Good Learning Co.
Reading questions
- In English, say what the writer does in the morning, at midday and in the evening.
- Find the phrases that give an opinion and a reason, and copy them out.
- Write 8–10 sentences about your own Saturday, using at least three phrases from the text.
Written practice
WritingWrite the sentences out in the language, then translate them back into English.
8–10 sentences
Vocabulary page
Working outCopy the new words, cover them, and test yourself. Note the ones you keep missing.
15 words
Saved as you type.
Part 1 of 17 · Watch & discover