Sorry! Search is currently unavailable while the database is being updated, it will be back in 5 mins!

Dative Contractions

Following up on last week's lesson on accusative contractions, we will now look at dative contractions. Unlike accusative contractions, which are generally possible with neuter nouns, dative contractions tend to occur before both neuter and masculine nouns. Some dative contractions are used constantly in the German language, even as part of formal writing:

 

Die Bilder vom Kirchturm landeten am nächsten Tag in den „Tagesthemen“.

The images of the church tower landed on "Tagesthemen" the next day.

Caption 11, 30 Jahre Mauerfall Deutschland: 30 Jahre nach dem Fall der Berliner Mauer

 Play Caption

 

Innsbruck ist die Landeshauptstadt vom Bundesland Tirol.

Innsbruck is the capital of the state of Tyrol.

Caption 18, 48 h in Innsbruck: Sehenswürdigkeiten & Tipps

 Play Caption

banner6 PLACEHOLDER

Was sagst du beim Arzt am Empfang zuerst?

What do you say first at the doctor's reception?

Caption 47, Deutsch für Anfänger: #8 Beim Arzt

 Play Caption

 

Im Leibniz-Zentrum für Archäologie in Mainz wird seit über hundertsiebzig Jahren geforscht.

At the Leibniz Center for Archaeology in Mainz  research has been conducted for over one hundred and seventy years.

Captions 1-2, Archäologie: Der Fund der Frankfurter Silberinschrift

 Play Caption

 

A few contractions are more colloquial. For the two examples below, you might also say or write vor dem ("in front of the") or unter dem ("under the"):

 

Und wie fühlst du dich so kurz vorm Sprung?

How do you feel right before the jump?

Caption 41, Abenteuer und Sport: Fallschirmspringen

 Play Caption

 

Sie liegt verborgen unterm Eis... inmitten fantastischer Höhlen.

It lies hidden beneath the ice... amidst fantastic caves.

Caption 6, Alpenseen: Kühle Schönheiten

 Play Caption

 

Finally, the preposition zu, which is always followed by the dative case, can form dative contractions before any noun, whether it's masculine, feminine, or neuter. 

 

Sabine geht nicht zur Party.

Sabine isn't going to the party.

Caption 36, Deutsch mit Eylin: Verneinungen

 Play Caption

 

Wie komme ich von hier zum Hauptbahnhof?

"How do I get from here to the main train station?

Caption 66, Deutsch mit Eylin: Öffentliche Verkehrsmittel in Hamburg

 Play Caption

banner4 PLACEHOLDER

Further Learning
Using masculine nouns and dative or two-way prepositions, create your own sentences, or look for additional examples of contractions in use on Yabla German.

Talvez você goste também de