Most German verbs require a complement, that is, an object in the accusative case. In this lesson, you’ll learn what that means and why it’s important to know which verbs require the accusative.
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Accusative verbs
Accusative verbs are:
Verbs with two complements/ objects in the accusative
Word order in a sentence with an accusative object
Accusative verbs
In German grammar, there are verbs that require a complement in the concrete case, and most verbs use a complement in the accusative case. The complement in the accusative case is also called the object in the accusative case and represents a thing or a living being.
How do we know which verbs require an object / object in the accusative case?
We simply ask the accusative question: WEN? or WAS?
Accusative verbs are transitive verbs, with the help of which the subject (performer of the action) performs an action on something or someone.
For example:
Er schreibt eine E-Mail. – He writes an e-mail.
Was schreibt er? – Eine E-Mail. – What is he writing? – An e-mail.
Sie backt einen Kuchen. – She is baking a cake.
Was backt sie? – Einen Kuchen. – What is she baking? – A cake.
Er trifft gestern seinen alten Freund. – He meets his old friend yesterday.
Wen trifft er gestern? – Seinen alten Freund. – Who did he meet yesterday? – His old friend.
Sie fotografiert ihre Kinder. – She takes pictures of her children.
Wen fotografiert sie? – Ihre Kinder. – Who does she photograph? – Her children.
Of course, you always have to be careful if the particular verb is with a preposition, because in that case the preposition determines the case.
For example:
Ichwarte auf den Bus. – I’m waiting for the bus.
Er trifft sich mit seinem alten Freund. – He meets up with his old friend.
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Grammar Contents
Accusative verbs are:
anrufen (to call), beneiden (to envy), besuchen (to visit), benutzen (to use), erhalten (to get), es gibt (there is), essen (to eat), genießen (to enjoy), fotografieren (to take photos), haben (to have), heiraten (to marry), hören (to hear/listen ), kennen (to know), lassen (to leave/let go), lesen (to read), lieben (to love), mögen (to like), nennen (to name), öffnen (to open), planen (to plan), schließen (to close), sehen (to see), suchen (to search), tragen (to carry), trinken (to drink), übersetzen (to translate), unterbrechen (to interrupt), vergessen (to forget), vorbereiten (to prepare) …
See the list of accusative verbs with translation and examples.
For example:
Er besucht seinen Großvater.
Es gibt eine Bank in der Nahe.
Wir haben einen Hund.
Sie heiratet einen Franzosen.
Always have a question with WEN? or WAS?
Verbs with two complements/ objects in the accusative
The verbs kosten, abfragen, angehen, lehren and nennen require two objects in the accusative case.
For example:
Es hat mich viel Mühe gekostet. – It has taken me a lot of effort.
Die Lehrerin fragte den Schüler die Grammatik ab. –The teacher asked the pupil about the grammar.
Wer hat dich das Schwimmen gelehrt? – Who taught you to swim?
We cannot leave out any of the objects, because then the sentence will not make sense:
For example:
Incorrect: Wer hat das Schwimmen gelehrt?
Incorrect: Wer hat dich gelehrt?
Correct: Wer hat dich das Schwimmenge lehrt? -Who taught you to swim?
Word order in a sentence with an accusative object
Declarative sentence
Subject – Verb – Object in the accusative case
Ich besuche meine Tante.
An interrogative sentence with a question word
Question word – Verb – Subject – Object in the accusative case
Wann besuchst du meine Tante?
An interrogative sentence without a question word
Verb – Subject – Object in the accusative case
Besuchst du heute Abend meine Tante?
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