German Grammar and Language

Settling into life in Germany starts with one essential skill: learning the language. Whether you’re tackling tricky grammar rules or simply trying to remember which article goes with which noun, we’ve gathered a set of easy-to-follow resources to help you feel more confident with each lesson.

Here, you’ll find:

Where to Learn German – from Volkshochschulen to online courses, we list practical options that fit your lifestyle.
Grammar Rules Made Simple – we break down the logic behind the language.
Kasus (Cases) – understand nominative, accusative, dative, and genitive without the headaches.
Articles (der, die, das) – we help you crack the code.
Adjektivendung (Adjective Endings) – make your German sound natural and correct.
Pronouns – learn to speak about yourself and others like a local.
Verbs – master the heart of any sentence with tenses, conjugations, and irregulars.

Think of this page as your map through the forest of German grammar — not everything at once, but one useful trail at a time. Pick a topic below and begin when you’re ready.

Please notify us if you find any errors.

Where to learn German

Looking for the right place to start your German journey? This page offers a handpicked collection of both online and in-person learning options. From local language schools to mobile apps you can use on the go, you’ll find practical tools to suit your schedule and style.

Learning German

Master the Language. Embrace the Culture. Embarking on the journey to learn German can be approached in various ways to suit your lifestyle and goals. Online platforms offer the convenience of flexible language courses, while mobile apps make learning easy wherever you are. For a more interactive experience, attending in-person classes can provide practical lessons and opportunities to practice with others. European Language Framework In Germany, the European Language Framework (CEFR) is widely used to

Basic Grammar

This page covers the building blocks of the language — what a verb is, how pronouns work, and how to put together a basic sentence. If grammar terms feel like a foreign language themselves, don’t worry — we keep it simple, clear, and beginner-friendly.

Basic German Grammar

Here is a short introduction to the structure of sentences. It will help you understand what is the difference between a subject, object, preposition, verb and articles English

Kasus / Cases

German has four grammatical cases — Nominativ, Akkusativ, Dativ, and Genitiv — and each one changes how words behave in a sentence. Sound complicated? It can be at first, but this page breaks it down with simple explanations and examples. You’ll learn when to use each case, how to spot them, and how they shape sentence meaning.

German Grammar – Cases/Kasus

Präpositionen

Artikel

German articles do more than just point to a noun — they tell you the gender, number, and sometimes even the case. On this page, we explain the difference between definite (der, die, das) and indefinite (ein, eine) articles, and how to choose the right one. With tips, tables, and examples, you’ll start to make sense of one of the most essential parts of German grammar.

Gender

It would be best if you learned the gender of each new word (Noun) you learn in German. This is not always easy to do and we hope the list below will be of some help. These lists give an indication of which article to use for some words e.g

Adjektivendung

In English, an adjective is just red. But in German, it could be rote, roter, roten, rotes, or rotem — depending on what it’s describing and where it sits in the sentence. Confused yet? Don’t worry. This page walks you through it all with helpful tables and clear explanations to make adjective endings less intimidating and a lot more manageable.

Adjektivendungen

Adjectives are descriptive words like young, old, beautiful etc. In German, adjectives change their endings depending on whether the person or thing you are referring to is masculine, feminine or neuter and whether singular or plural. It also depends on the case/kasus of the person or thing you are describing

Pronouns

I, you, he, she, it — pronouns are the little words that do big work in any language. In German, they come with their own set of rules, especially when the cases get involved. This page introduces you to the different types of pronouns, shows you how they change depending on their role in a sentence, and gives you tips to use them with confidence.

Pronouns

Pronouns are words that take the place of a noun. Words like I, me, she, you, it, herself. Additionally, you get Relative and possessive pronounsRelative pronouns: which, that, whose, whoever, whomever, who and whom,

Verbs

Verbs bring your sentences to life — whether you’re going, doing, thinking, or being. On this page, we cover the basics of German verbs: how to conjugate them, when to use regular vs. irregular forms, and what to do with those tricky separable verbs. It’s all explained with beginner-friendly examples to help you start speaking (and understanding) with confidence.

Verbs

Verbs Verbs are the heartbeat of language. They are words that describe action or state—what we do, how we feel, or where we exist. In German, verbs are divided into two main categories based on what they express: “tun-Verben” (doing verbs) and “sein-Verben” (being verbs). Action Verbs (tun-Verben) These verbs describe actions or activities. They tell us what something or someone is doing. For example, “laufen” (to run) is a

Some helpful Tips

The Building Blocks of a Sentence

A typical German sentence includes a Subject, a Verb, a Direct Object, and sometimes an Indirect Object.
Each of these plays a specific role and can appear in a different grammatical case.

Subjects Are Always in the Nominative Case

The subject is the “doer” of the action, and it’s always in the Nominative case.
Example: Der Mann schläft. (The man is sleeping.)

Direct Objects Usually Take the Accusative Case

The Direct Object answers What? or Whom? (German: Wen?) and is usually in the Accusative case.
Some prepositions or verbs can change this, but for most verbs, accusative is the go-to.
Example: Der Mann isst den Apfel.

Indirect Objects Usually Take the Dative Case

The Indirect Object answers To whom? or For whom? (German: Wem?) and usually takes the Dative case.
Again, certain verbs or prepositions may influence this.
Example: Das Kind gibt der Mutter einen Kuss.

Standard Word Order: S–V–O (With a Twist)

When you only have a subject and a direct object, the basic order is:
Subject – Verb – Accusative
➡️ Der Mann isst den Apfel.

When both dative and accusative objects are present (and both are nouns):
Subject – Verb – Dative – Accusative
➡️ Das Kind gibt der Mutter einen Kuss.

Pronouns Can Flip the Order

When both the dative and accusative objects are pronouns, the accusative comes first:
➡️ Ich gebe ihn ihr. (I give him to her.)

If one is a pronoun and the other is a noun, the pronoun usually comes before the noun, regardless of case:
➡️ Ich gebe ihn der Mutter. (I give him to the mother.)

Some Verbs and Prepositions Change the Rules

Certain verbs always take a specific case, regardless of sentence structure:

helfen (to help) ➝ Dative
danken (to thank) ➝ Dative
brauchen (to need) ➝ Accusative

Prepositions can also lock in a case:

mit ➝ Dative
für ➝ Accusative
aus ➝ Dative
um ➝ Accusative
wegen ➝ typically Genitive

Start Simple and Grow From There

Don’t dive into complex sentences right away.
Master basic subject-verb-object structures first. Add in the dative once you’re confident, then explore prepositions and more complex syntax.

Practice Makes Permanent

It’s not about perfection — it’s about repetition.
Reading, listening, and speaking German regularly will help patterns become second nature. Mistakes are part of the journey, not signs of failure.