Genau
Topic test · A1

the preposition an test

13questions
8minutes
60%pass mark
Start the test Read the topic first

One question at a time, the clock runs. Answers stay closed like a real exam: you see every correct answer with its explanation at the end. Score 60% to finish the topic.

Topic test

13 questions, easy to hard

Pick an option and press «Next». You can go back and change it. Anything left blank counts as wrong.

I’m sitting at the table.

Ich sitze am Tisch. A position sentence answering “wo?”, so the dative is used: an + dem = am.

I’m hanging the picture on the wall.

Ich hänge das Bild an die Wand. There is movement (it is being hung), the target answers “wohin?” → accusative (die).

On Monday I’m going to the cinema.

Am Montag gehe ich ins Kino. With days, the contraction “an” + dem → “am” is compulsory.

I’m putting the bottle at the edge.

Ich stelle die Flasche an den Rand. “Rand” is masculine, and the target of a movement → accusative “den”.

We’re waiting at the bus stop.

Wir warten an der Bushaltestelle. Waiting is a position, “wo?” → dative (der).

I’m going to the sea.

ans Meer. There is movement → accusative → an das = ans. am Meer would express a position (“I’m at the seaside”), and auf das Meer would mean “out onto the sea”.

I’m sticking the note on the fridge.

Ich klebe den Zettel an den Kühlschrank. “Kühlschrank” is masculine, and sticking is a movement → accusative “den”.

Wochenende schlafe ich lange.

At the weekend I sleep in.

Days and the weekend are built with an: am Montag · am Wochenende. Months take im, clock times take um.

Das Bild hängt der Wand.

The picture is hanging on the wall.

Touching a vertical surface is an: wall, door, window. auf belongs to horizontal surfaces (a table), über to above without touching (a lamp).

Is it standing or being put? — Ich hänge die Jacke Haken.

Hanging something up is an act of putting: where to? → accusative → an den Haken. A jacket that is already hanging would be am Haken.

“In Montag arbeite ich nicht.” is correct.

False. Days are expressed with an + dem = am, not with in: Am Montag arbeite ich nicht.

Er hängt das Bild die Wand.

He’s hanging the picture on the wall.

an. For the act of hanging something on a vertical surface (a wall), an + accusative is used.

Build the sentence: I’m sitting at the table.

Tap the pieces to build the sentence

Sitting expresses a position, so the dative follows an: an dem Tisch → am Tisch.
Quick rules

The rules in three lines

The full topic lives on its own page. This is only the core you need for the test.

  1. an = touching a vertical surface

    Wall, door, window, board — if something touches a vertical surface, it is an. A horizontal surface is auf; above without touching is über.

    Das Bild hängt an der Wand.

  2. Days take an

    am Montag · am Wochenende · am 1. Mai. Months and seasons take im, clock times take um.

    Am Montag gehe ich ins Kino.

  3. Movement is accusative, standing is dative

    A two-way preposition: while hanging something up, an die Wand; once it hangs there, an der Wand. If the question is wohin? use the accusative, if it is wo? use the dative.

    Ich hänge es an die Wand. → Es hängt an der Wand.

  4. Shores and stops take an

    Places you approach along water or a line: ans Meer fahren · am Meer sein · an der Haltestelle warten.

    Wir warten an der Haltestelle.

Traps

Commonly mixed up

Where a direct translation breaks. The hard questions come from here.

  • Das Bild hängt auf der Wand.

    Das Bild hängt an der Wand.

    A wall is vertical: an. auf belongs to horizontal surfaces.

  • In Montag gehe ich ins Kino.

    Am Montag gehe ich ins Kino.

    Days are built with an + dem = am.

  • Ich hänge das Bild an der Wand.

    Ich hänge das Bild an die Wand.

    Hanging something up is movement: wohin? → accusative.

  • Um Wochenende schlafe ich lange.

    Am Wochenende schlafe ich lange.

    um is for clock times; the weekend takes am.