In German, a postposition word that fulfills the same function as a preposition, except that it comes after the noun (= “post”), rather than before (= “pre”). Like prepositions, postpositions are used to indicate how the noun they are associated fits in with the rest of the sentence.
German is a primarily prepositional language, meaning there are considerably more prepositions than postpositions. However, there are still a few prepositions to learn. Surprisingly, a number of the German postpositions are just prepositions being used in a different place. Learn when and how to use postpositions, and you will be able to construct a greater variety of sentences and position yourself as the proficient German speaker you are!
Prepositions vs. postpositions in German
In German, prepositions come before the noun or pronoun while postpositions come after the noun or pronoun. The difference is in the names: “pre-” meaning “prior, before” vs. “post-” meaning “behind, after, later.”
However, other than their position, both have the same basic function: they indicate how a noun or pronoun is related to the rest of a sentence.
In German, prepositions and postpositions often even share the same form, but they may still be quite different in meaning, grammar, or both.
Sometimes, the meaning of the preposition is quite different from the meaning of the postposition, even though they share the same form:
prepositionnounIch schreibe einen Essay über die deutsche Kultur.Translation: I am writing an essay about German culture.Über introduces the topic of the essay.nounpostpositionViele von uns sitzen den ganzen Tag über am Computer.Translation: Many of us sit at the computer all day long.Über indicates that “the whole day” is the duration of the action.Sometimes the differences between the preposition and the postposition are more grammatical: where the preposition assigns one case, the preposition may assign another.
prepositiongenitive caseFolgen Sie dem Weg entlang des Baches bis zu einer Brücke.Translation: Follow the path along the stream until you reach a bridge.accusative casepostpositionGehen Sie den Bach entlang bis zu einer Brücke.Translation: Walk along the stream until you reach a bridge.There are some postpositions that assign the same case and have the same meaning as the preposition. In these cases, the use of the postposition will have more of a literary and formal flair:
prepositiongenitive caseDas Rasenturnier musste wegen des schlechten Wetters abgesagt werden.Translation: The lawn tournament had to be canceled due to bad weather.genitive casepostpositionDes schlechten Wetters wegen musste das Rasenturnier abgesagt werden.Translation: The lawn tournament had to be canceled due to bad weather.
There are fewer postpositions than prepositions in German and they are used less frequently as well. But that doesn’t mean they can be overlooked! Let’s go through the German prepositions one-by-one! Since there aren’t that many of them, it’s not too hard to do!
What are the German postpositions?
The most important German postpositions are listed in the table below, sorted by category. We’ll discuss them and give some examples below.
| Category | Postposition | Translation (as a postposition) | Case (as a postposition) |
|---|---|---|---|
Has the same form, meaning, and case as a preposition | gemäß | according to | dative, (genitive) |
wegen | because of | genitive | |
gegenüber | opposite | dative | |
Has the same form and meaning as a preposition, but assigns a different case | entlang | along, alongside | accusative |
zu Ehren | in honor of | genitive | |
inklusive | including | accusative | |
Has the same form, as a preposition, but a different meaning | nach | according to | dative |
entgegen | towards | dative | |
nahe | near (abstract) | dative | |
Words that are exclusively postpositions, that are never before the noun | halber | for the sake of | genitive |
lang | (the/a) whole + [time] | accusative | |
zuliebe | for the sake of | dative | |
zufolge | according to | dative | |
zuwider | contrary to, opposed to, against | dative | |
zum Trotz | In spite of, despite | dative |
Now, let’s learn more about each of the postpositions in the table above!
Group 1: Same form, meaning and case as a preposition
In a good number of cases where a postposition and preposition share the same form, the only difference between the two is in their position in a sentence. Their case and meaning remain the same.
For words in this group, the postpositional use has a more literary or formal ring to it.
Let’s go through three postpositions like this:
‘gemäß’
The word gemäß, meaning “according to,” can be used as either a preposition or a postposition, and in both uses it takes the dative case.
dativepostpositionDem Bericht gemäß hat die Anzahl der Studenten in den letzten zehn Jahren zugenommen.Translation: According to the report, the number of students has increased over the past decade.prepositiondativeGemäß dem Bericht hat die Anzahl der Studenten in den letzten zehn Jahren zugenommen.Translation: According to the report, the number of students has increased over the past decade.‘wegen’
Wegen means “because of” when used either as a preposition or a postposition. In both cases it takes the genitive.
genitivepostpositionDer Osterferien wegen gab es einen kilometerlangen Stau auf der Autobahn.Translation: Because of the Easter vacation, there was a mile-long traffic jam on the highway.prepositiongenitiveWegen der Osterferien gab es einen kilometerlangen Stau auf der Autobahn.Translation: Because of the Easter vacation, there was a mile-long traffic jam on the highway.‘gegenüber’
Gegenüber corresponds to English “opposite” in both its prepositional and postpositional use. In each case it takes the dative.
dativepostpositionDie Post steht der Bank gegenüber.Translation: The post office is opposite the bank.prepositiondativeDie Post steht gegenüber der Bank.Translation: The post office is opposite the bank.
Group 2: Same form and meaning, different case
There are a handful of postpositions that share a form and meaning with a preposition, but assign a different case. Let’s go through a few of them.
‘entlang’
Entlang means “along” or “alongside.” When it is used as a postposition, it follows the accusative case.
accusativepostpositionDie Schulklasse läuft den Weg entlang.Translation: The school class is walking along the path.When used as a preposition, it takes the genitive or, less commonly, the dative.
prepositiongenitivedativeEntlang [des Weges / dem Weg] standen Menschen und winkten uns zu.Translation: Along the path stood people and waved at us.‘zu Ehren’
Zu Ehren can best be translated as “in honor of.” As a postposition, it follows a noun in the genitive case.
genitivepostpositionDem Nobelpreisträger zu Ehren wurde ein Denkmal errichtet.Translation: A monument was erected in honor of the Nobel Prize winner.As a preposition, it triggers the dative instead.
prepositiondativeEin Denkmal wurde zu Ehren des Nobelpreisträgers aufgestellt.Translation: A monument was erected in honor of the Nobel Prize winner.‘inklusive’
A very useful word when talking about purchases or transactions, inklusive means “including.” As a postposition, it follows the accusative case.
accusativepostposition(Die) Mehrwertsteuer inklusive macht das 120 Euro, bitte.Translation: Including (the) VAT, that makes 120 euros, please.But as a preposition, it precedes the dative.
prepositiondativeInklusive (der) Mehrwertsteuer macht das 120 Euro, bitte.Translation: Including (the) VAT, that makes 120 euros, please.The article of the related noun or noun phrase is optional when using inklusive.
Group 3: Same form, different meanings
There are a few cases in which a preposition and a postposition look like the same word, but they have different meanings and sometimes assign different cases. Here are three of the most frequent prepositions like these:
‘nach’
When used as a postposition, nach means “according to” and takes the dative.
dativepostpositionDem Gesetz nach ist das nicht erlaubt.Translation: According to the law, this is not allowed.When used as a preposition, nach also takes the dative, but it means “following” (in time or place).
prepositiondativeDer Film geht nach einer kurzen Pause weiter.Translation: The movie continues after a short break.‘entgegen’
Both as a postposition as well as as a preposition, entgegen expresses a sense of directionality, and in both cases it takes the dative case. However, there is a difference in meaning:
As a postposition, entgegen means “towards.”
dativepostpositionFahr mir entgegen, wir treffen uns in der Mitte.Translation: Drive towards me and we'll meet in the middle.Whereas as a preposition, it means “against.”
prepositiondativeWer entgegen der Fahrtrichtung auf der linken Fahrbahnseite parkt, riskiert ein Bußgeld.Translation: Parking against the direction of travel on the left-hand side of the lane risks a fine.‘nahe’
Nahe means “near” in both its postpositional as well as its prepositional use. However, there is a difference!
When used as a preposition, nahe expresses spatial proximity, and can be used with the dative or the genitive:
prepositiondativeEssen liegt nahe der Grenze zu Holland.Translation: Essen is close to the border with Holland.As a postposition, nahe is more abstract or metaphorical, usually referring to being “near” some transition. As a postposition, it always takes the dative.
dativepostpositionDen Tränen nahe las Maike das Ende der Geschichte.Translation: Close to tears, Maike read the end of the story.Haltet durch. Wir sind dem Ziel nahe!Translation: Hang in there. We are close to the finish line!Here, the implication is that we are “near” to finishing some project. If you were getting physically close to a literal finish line, as in a race, you’d probably say, Wir sind kurz vor der Ziellinie! instead.
Group 4: Exclusive postpositions
There are only a handful of words that are used exclusively as postpositions. Many of them are utilized more often in literary contexts. These postpositions are covered below.
‘halber’
Halber can best be translated as “for the sake of” as in der Einfachheit halber meaning for the sake of simplicity or as “due to” in des Alters halber meaning due to age. Halber takes the genitive case.
genitivepostpositionDer Einfachheit halber kannst du mich Max nennen.Translation: For the sake of simplicity, you can call me Max.Der Präsident trat seines Alters halber zurück.Translation: The president resigned due to his age.‘lang’
You probably already know lang meaning long from expressing long distance or duration. When used as a postposition, it follows a noun for a quantity of time, in the accusative case, such as eine Stunde meaning an hour, einen Tag meaning a day or mehrere Jahre meaning several years.
accusativepostpositionWir haben uns eine ganze Stunde lang unterhalten.Translation: We talked for a whole hour.You can even use postpositional lang with short durations:
accusativepostpositionIch habe eine Sekunde lang überlegt und dann gleich zugesagt.Translation: I thought about it for a second and then said yes right away.‘zuliebe’
Zuliebe meaning for the sake of is used to express that something is done out of consideration of and for the benefit of someone else. As such, it takes the dative case.
dativepostpositionEuch zuliebe habe ich auf meinen freien Tag verzichtet!Translation: For your sake, I gave up my day off!‘zufolge’
Zufolge meaning according to is a more formal alternative to the previously discussed gemäß and takes a dative. However, unlike gemäß, it cannot be used as a preposition.
dativepostpositionDen Zeugen zufolge wurde der Diamant von einem Clown gestohlen.Translation: According to the witnesses, the diamond was stolen by a clown.‘zuwider’
The postposition zuwider means “contrary to”, “opposed to” or “against,” a meaning that is related to the prefix wider which also means “against” or “contrary to.” The postposition zuwider takes the dative case.
It can be used to express dislike or aversion.
dativepostpositionSpinnen und Käfer sind mir zuwider.Translation: Spiders and bugs are repugnant to me.Or it can be used as a more formal replacement for prepositional entgegen meaning against, contrary to:
dativepostpositionAllen Befehlen und Versprechungen zuwider haben sich viele nicht an das Fahrverbot gehalten.Translation: Contrary to all orders and promises, many did not comply with the driving ban.prepositiondativeEntgegen allen Befehlen und Versprechungen haben sich viele nicht an das Fahrverbot gehalten.Translation: Contrary to all orders and promises, many did not comply with the driving ban.‘zum Trotz’
The postposition zum Trotz meaning in spite of, despite expresses contrast or defiance in spite of something. It takes the dative.
dativepostpositionAllen Kritikern zum Trotz gewann die Außenseiterin das Turnier.Translation: Despite all the critics, the outsider won the tournament.The postposition zum Trotz is related to the preposition trotz meaning despite, in spite of which carries the same meaning. However, the postposition zum Trotz sounds more formal, while trotz is the more colloquial variant and takes the genitive.
prepositiongenitiveTrotz aller Kritiker gewann die Außenseiterin das Turnier.Translation: Despite all the critics, the outsider won the tournament.Regionally, the dative may be used as well.
Summary
Let’s recap what we’ve learned about postpositions in German:
Postpositions are like prepositions except they come after the noun, not before it.
Many German postpositions have the same form as a preposition. Be careful though! Using the word as a postposition may produce a different meaning, require a different case, or just signal a difference in formality.
German postpositions are not as common as prepositions, though there are a few essential ones that are used frequently, such as über meaning throughout, durch meaning all…long, entlang meaning along and nach meaning according to.
While postpositions might not be as common as prepositions, they do help you communicate in ways with even more contextual sense. Do you want to put this newly acquired linguistic tool to the test? Then try our German postposition activities and put those postpositions in their place!
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