Genau
Topic test · A1

The preposition über 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.

The picture is hanging above the table.

über dem Tisch. hängen here states a position (where?) → Dativ. If you were hanging it up there (Er hängt das Bild über den Tisch.), it would be the Akkusativ.

He throws the ball over the fence.

über den Zaun. The ball goes from one place to another (where to?) → Akkusativ. der Zaun becomes den Zaun in the Akkusativ.

We are talking about the film.

über den Film. über meaning “about” always takes the Akkusativ – the wo/wohin question is never asked here. This is the use of über that causes the most mistakes.

The bridge leads over the river.

über den Fluss. The bridge goes from one bank to the other → direction → Akkusativ.

The lamp is above the table. (hanging)

über dem Tisch. The lamp stays where it is, it does not go anywhere → position → Dativ.

The plane is flying over the city.

über die Stadt. The plane passes over the city and flies on → direction → Akkusativ; feminine die Stadt does not change in the Akkusativ. über der Stadt (Dativ) would mean “flying around in the airspace above the city”.

We are watching a film about animals.

über Tiere. “About” → Akkusativ, and the Akkusativ plural does not add -n – that ending belongs to the Dativ.

Ich freue mich dein Geschenk.

I’m so happy about your present.

Being happy about something you already have or that has happened is über: the present has arrived, and you are pleased. Looking forward to something in the future would be auf.

“More than 30 degrees” — Es ist 30 Grad.

It is above 30 degrees.

With a number, über means “above/more than”: über 30 Grad · über 100 Euro.

Which one is wrong?

über meaning “about” is ALWAYS Akkusativ: über den Film. The Dativ only comes when you describe a position (the hanging lamp).

The sentence “Wir sprechen über dem Film.” is grammatically correct.

False. When über means “about”, it always takes the Akkusativ: über den Film.

Er wirft den Ball über Zaun.

He throws the ball over the fence.

den. It expresses a movement (throwing) and the fence is crossed, so the Akkusativ (den Zaun) is used.

Build the sentence: The picture hangs above the table.

Tap the pieces to build the sentence

There is no movement, the picture just stays there (position), so the Dativ (dem Tisch) is used.
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. über = above without touching

    Lamp, picture, cloud – anything sitting above without contact is über + Dativ. If it touched, it would be auf.

    Die Lampe hängt über dem Tisch.

  2. Going across is Akkusativ

    Bridge, fence, street – a movement that passes over: über die Brücke · über den Zaun.

    Er wirft den Ball über den Zaun.

  3. “About” is ALWAYS Akkusativ

    sprechen über · ein Film über · denken über – a topic, not a place; the case is always Akkusativ.

    Wir sprechen über den Film.

  4. With numbers: more than

    über 30 Grad · über 100 Euro – an amount above a threshold.

    Es ist über 30 Grad.

Traps

Commonly mixed up

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

  • Wir sprechen über dem Film.

    Wir sprechen über den Film.

    “About” is not a position; it is always Akkusativ.

  • Die Lampe hängt über den Tisch.

    Die Lampe hängt über dem Tisch.

    Something hanging is a position: Dativ.

  • Wir fahren durch die Brücke.

    Wir fahren über die Brücke.

    You cross a bridge on top of it, not through it.

  • Ich freue mich auf dein Geschenk. (when you already have the present)

    Ich freue mich über dein Geschenk.

    Being happy about something that has happened is über; auf is for the future.