German grammar: Präpositionen: lokal

What this grammar point covers

In German, local prepositions are words that show where something or someone is. They answer questions like 'Where?' or 'To where?'.

When to use it

You use local prepositions in German to say where something is (location) or where something is going (direction). For example, to say 'in the house', 'on the table', or 'under the bed'.

Key forms

• an (am, ans)
• auf
• in (im, ins)
• unter
• über
• vor
• hinter
• neben
• zwischen

Examples

Tips

• Some prepositions use different cases: 'in', 'an', 'auf', 'unter', 'über', 'vor', 'hinter', 'neben', 'zwischen' use accusative for movement and dative for location.
• Pay attention to the article after the preposition. It changes with the case.
• Don't forget to use the correct form (im, am, ins, ans) when combining prepositions with articles.

Exceptions and edge cases

• Some places always use certain prepositions, even if the meaning seems different (e.g., 'auf dem Land' for 'in the country').