Understanding Grammatical Cases in Language

1. What is a “CASE”? Grammatical cases indicate how certain words function in a sentence. The case of a word is shown by the particular form of the word itself or by the form of the words that accompany it. In German it affects more parts of the speech than in English: • in English: pronouns, certain interrogatives • in German: nouns, pronouns, adjectives, articles In English the function of a noun in a sentence and therefore its meaning is defined by the order of the word in the sentence: • The girl gives the boy the apple. • The boy gives the girl the apple.

2. “CASE”of English pronouns The function of pronouns in English is indicated not only by the word order but also by the form, i.e. the case of the pronoun: • I know them. • They know me. • He seesher. • Shesees him. In these examples I and me / they and them / he and him / she and her are different forms - different CASES - of the same pronoun.

3. “CASE”of English pronouns • the nominative case ...is used when a pronoun is a subject or a predicate noun. • She and I went to the movie. • We enjoyed the film. • It was he who spoiled the fun. • the objective case ...is used when a pronoun is a direct object, an indirect object, or an object of a preposition • They invited both him and me. • They send us a note. • We asked about them. • the possessive case is used when a pronoun shows ownership

4. “CASE” in GERMAN Word order does not indicate the function of nouns within a sentence. This is indicated either by the form of the noun or the form of its definite or indefinite article: • The boy gives the girlthe apple. • Der Junge gibt dem Mädchenden Apfel. • Dem Mädchen gibt der Jungeden Apfel. • Den Apfel gibt der Jungedem Mädchen. The difference in function is indicated by the different forms of the article.

5. “CASE” in GERMAN There are four different cases in German: • the nominative [der Nominativ]used for the subject of a sentence and for predicate nouns • the accusative [der Akkusativ]used for direct objects • the dative [der Dativ] used for indirect objects and some special verbs • the genitive [der Genitiv] used to show possession or close relation The boy gives the girlthe apple. Der Junge gibt dem Mädchenden Apfel. nominativedativeaccusative

6. ACCUSATIVE As in English German pronouns used as direct objects change their form, i.e. the case: • I you he she it we you they • me you him her it us you them • ich du er sie es wir ihr sie • mich dich ihn sie es uns euch sie In addition in German definite and indefinite articles change: • DER DIE DAS EIN EINE EIN • DEN DIE DAS EINEN EINE EIN

7. ACCUSATIVE • more changes: • WER (Who is that?) • WEN (Whom did yousee?) • welcher welche welches • welchen welche welches • dieser diese dieses • diesen diese dieses • kein keine kein • keinen keine kein

8. What are Objects? • Peter sleeps. Children play. an answer. Ingrid wants a letter. us She sent his uncle. He works for Paula reads what? the book. the book is the direct object. Paula reads the book. They are inviting Paula andher sister. They are inviting whom? Paula and her sister Paula and her sister are two direct objects.

9. AKKUSATIV Peter brings his mother home. His mother brings Peter home. He brings her home. She brings him home. Er bringt sie nach Hause. Sie bringt ihn nach Hause.

10. bis durch für gegen ohne um Ich lerne bis nächsten Mittwoch. Ich gehe durch denPark. Er arbeitet für seinen Onkel. Er ist gegen diesen Politiker. Sie kommt ohne ihren Freund. Wir laufen um den Marktplatz. AKKUSATIV

11. AKKUSATIV • direct object • object of the prepositions: bis durch für gegen ohne um • effects: • article words (and adjectives) of masculine nouns • personal pronouns

12. type / function / form • type of words: nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives etc. • their function in a sentence: subject , predicate , object etc. • their form depending on their function: nominative , accusative, genitive etc.