A1 · beginner #FUR

the preposition für

die Präposition für

für is a preposition that always takes the accusative: für dich (for you), für zwei Wochen (for two weeks).

für always takes the accusative and covers what English does with “for”: for someone, for a price, for a length of time, and “in favour of”. Learners usually mix it up with seit (English says “for two years” for both!) or slip in a nominative pronoun like ich.

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für always takes the accusative

für is a preposition, and it puts the word after it in the accusative. No exceptions: für den Mann, für die Frau, für das Kind. The article, the adjective and the pronoun all take accusative forms.

Pronouns are the most common case, so learn them by heart. für never fuses with a pronoun — you say für dich, never one word. It does merge with an article, though: für das → fürs (fürs Wochenende).

Pronoun (nominative)	Accusative (after für)	English
ich	mich	me
du	dich	you
er	ihn	him
sie	sie	her
es	es	it

The middle column is the form you use after für. English does the same thing: “for I” sounds wrong, “for me” is right.

Pronoun (nominative)	Accusative (after für)	English
wir	uns	us
ihr	euch	you (plural)
sie	sie	them
Sie	Sie	you (formal)

The middle column is the form you use after für.

The four jobs of für

für takes on several jobs that English also mostly writes as “for”. You work out which one is meant from the sentence. The table sums up the four main uses.

Job	German example	English
(a) Benefit / purpose — “for”	Das Geschenk ist für dich.	The present is for you.
(b) Price — “for” a sum of money	Ich kaufe das Auto für 5000 Euro.	I’m buying the car for 5,000 euros.
(c) Planned length of time — “for”	Wir fahren für zwei Wochen nach Italien.	We’re going to Italy for two weeks.
(d) Taking a side — “in favour of”	Er ist für die Idee.	He’s for the idea.

For a price, für + amount; for a length of time, für + time expression. Both are accusative.

Das ist für mich. That’s for me. Pronoun (mich)
Ich bezahle für das Essen. I’m paying for the meal. Price / payment
Wir haben ein Zimmer für drei Nächte gebucht. We booked a room for three nights. Planned length of time
Bist du für oder gegen den Plan? Are you for or against the plan? Taking a side
Sie interessiert sich für Musik. She’s interested in music. → English says “in”, German says für Verb + preposition: sich interessieren für
Danke für die Blumen! Thanks for the flowers! Verb + preposition: danken für

für vs. seit

English uses the same little word for both: “I’m staying for three days” and “I’ve been here for three days”. German splits them, and that is the trap. The rule is simple: für = a set length of time (usually a plan), seit = a period that started in the past and is still going.

seit takes the dative, für takes the accusative. With seit the verb is usually in the Gegenwart (present tense); with für it is usually a future or a plan.

Preposition	Example sentence	English	Why?
für	Ich bleibe für drei Tage in Berlin.	I’m staying in Berlin for three days.	A plan; it hasn’t started yet.
seit	Ich bin seit drei Tagen in Berlin.	I have been in Berlin for three days.	It started in the past and is still going.

The question “How many days has it been?” is answered with seit; “How many days are you staying?” is answered with für.

Verbs that require für

Some verbs are used only with für. In these verbs für carries no meaning of its own; it is part of the verb (a verb + preposition combination). So don’t translate it word for word — learn it as part of the verb. English uses other prepositions here: “interested in”, “thank for”, “care for”.

The three most important: sich interessieren für (to be interested in), danken für (to thank for), sorgen für (to take care of, to be responsible for). All of them take the accusative.

Verb (with preposition)	Example sentence	English
sich interessieren für	Ich interessiere mich für Geschichte.	I’m interested in history.
danken für	Wir danken dir für deine Hilfe.	We thank you for your help.
sorgen für	Wer sorgt für das Essen?	Who is taking care of the food?

If you drop für in these verbs, the sentence falls apart; “Ich interessiere mich Geschichte” is wrong.

Traps

Trap 01

Trap 1: Using the dative

für takes the accusative, full stop. Because “for the father” feels like “to the father”, learners reach for the dative and pull out dem/der.

Ich kaufe ein Geschenk für dem Vater.

dem is dative. für takes the accusative: den.

Ich kaufe ein Geschenk für den Vater.

I’m buying a present for my father. (accusative: den Vater)

Trap 02

Trap 2: Using “für” for a period that runs up to now

In “I’ve lived here for two years” the period began in the past and is still going. English says “for”, but German needs seit + dative. für describes a set length of time (usually a plan).

Ich wohne für zwei Jahre in Hamburg.

This means “I’ll be living in Hamburg for two years” (a plan). If you mean “I’ve been living here for two years”, you need seit.

Ich wohne seit zwei Jahren in Hamburg.

I’ve been living in Hamburg for two years. (dative: zwei Jahren)

Trap 03

Trap 3: A nominative pronoun (für ich / für du)

At speaking speed, people forget to change the pronoun. ich, du, er, wir, ihr are nominative; they cannot follow für. (sie, es, Sie look the same in both cases.) You wouldn’t say “for I” in English either.

Das ist nicht gut für ich.

ich is the subject form (nominative). After a preposition you need the object form (accusative): mich.

Das ist nicht gut für mich.

That’s not good for me. (accusative pronoun: mich)

Practice now

What you just learned

Wir fahren ___ drei Tage nach München.
Show the answer
für. A planned length of time in the future is expressed with für.
The sentence “Das ist für du.” is correct.
Show the answer
False. für always takes the accusative, so the right form is für dich.
Which preposition fills the gap in “I’m interested in history”? Ich interessiere mich ___ Geschichte.
Show the answer
für. sich interessieren für is a verb + preposition combination, für is required, and it takes the accusative (Geschichte shows no case ending).

The other accusative prepositions

Same group

Prepositions — overview the preposition um the preposition gegen the preposition ohne the preposition durch

07Build

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Tips

Know this before the test

The core of the topic in three lines, then the mistakes people make most often.

für + accusative, no exceptions
For whom, for what — always accusative: für meine Mutter · für dich · für das Kind.
Das Geschenk ist für meine Mutter.
Price and planned time take für
für 3000 Euro kaufen (price) · für drei Tage nach München (planned time). Something running since the past is seit.
Wir fahren für drei Tage nach München.
für = for, gegen = against
Bist du für oder gegen den Plan? — the language of voting and debate.
Ich bin für diesen Plan.
Thanks and interest patterns
Danke für … but watch out: sich interessieren für for interest, warten auf for waiting — the verb picks its own preposition.
Danke für deine Hilfe!

Das Geschenk ist für meiner Mutter.
Das Geschenk ist für meine Mutter.
für never takes the dative — always the accusative.
Ich bin seit drei Tagen in München. (for a planned trip)
Wir fahren für drei Tage nach München.
seit describes a period running since the past, für a planned period.
Er wartet für den Bus.
Er wartet auf den Bus.
The preposition of warten is auf; English “wait for” tempts you into für, but it doesn’t fit here.
Ich interessiere mich für dem Buch.
Ich interessiere mich für das Buch.
After für the dative never appears.

0707:30

Test yourself

Tap an answer — we will look at why together.

Translate: “This present is for my mother.”

für meine Mutter. für takes the accusative; die Mutter is feminine, and the feminine doesn’t change in the accusative → meine. meiner is dative, meinen is the masculine accusative.

“I bought the car for 3,000 euros.” Which preposition is right?

für 3000 Euro. A price is expressed with für. mit means “with” (a tool), von means “from” (a source) — neither gives a price.

“I’ve been in Berlin for two weeks.” How do you say it in German?

seit zwei Wochen. A period that runs from the past up to now takes seit + dative (zwei Wochen). für would mean a set length of time (a plan), vor means “two weeks ago”.

Which preposition fills the gap in “I’m interested in history”? Ich interessiere mich Geschichte.

für. sich interessieren für is a verb + preposition combination, für is required, and it takes the accusative (Geschichte shows no case ending).

He’s waiting for the bus. Er wartet den Bus.

warten auf = to wait for

auf. warten carries its own preposition, and that is auf + accusative. Translating “wait for” word for word and writing für is one of the most common mistakes — prepositions that stick to a verb are learned, not translated.

You want to ask, “What should I buy for you?” Which pronoun is right?

für dich. After für the pronoun must be accusative: dich. du is a nominative error, dir a dative error.

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Worksheet

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Dativ verbs

helfen · gefallen · gehören · geben

Dativ verbs are German verbs whose object goes in the dative case: helfen, gefallen, gehören, geben.

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Prepositions