A1 · beginner #VOR

the preposition vor

die Präposition vor

vor is a two-way preposition: it takes the dative for a position and the accusative for a direction.

vor takes two cases: if it answers wo? (where?) it is Dativ, if it answers wohin? (where to?) it is Akkusativ. English “in front of” is the same either way, so learners often reach for Akkusativ even when nothing is moving.

Contents

1. vor – Dativ or Akkusativ?

vor is a two-way preposition. If the sentence answers “where?” (wo?), it shows a position and takes the Dativ. If it answers “where to?” (wohin?), it shows a direction and takes the Akkusativ.

The rule is simple: movement means Akkusativ, no movement means Dativ.

Case	Question	Example sentence
Dativ (position)	wo?	Ich stehe vor dem Haus.
Akkusativ (direction)	wohin?	Ich gehe vor das Haus.

Movement: Akkusativ. No movement: Dativ.

2. vor for position (Dativ): examples

Nothing moves in the sentences below; they only say that something or someone is in front of something.

German	English
Das Auto parkt vor der Tür.	The car is parked in front of the door.
Die Katze sitzt vor dem Fenster.	The cat is sitting in front of the window.
Wir warten vor dem Kino.	We’re waiting in front of the cinema.
Der Baum steht vor dem Haus.	The tree stands in front of the house.

No movement in any of these, so it is Dativ.

Ich stehe vor dem Haus. I’m standing in front of the house. position (Dativ)
Ich gehe vor das Haus. I’m going to the front of the house. direction (Akkusativ)
Das Auto parkt vor der Tür. The car is parked in front of the door. position
Er stellt die Vase vor den Tisch. He puts the vase in front of the table. direction
Vor zwei Jahren war ich in Berlin. Two years ago I was in Berlin. time (Dativ)
Wir warten vor dem Kino. We’re waiting in front of the cinema. position

3. vor for direction (Akkusativ): examples

In these sentences a person or object moves towards a place; the goal is “the front of it”, so Akkusativ follows.

German	English
Er stellt die Vase vor den Tisch.	He puts the vase in front of the table.
Sie läuft vor das Gebäude.	She runs to the front of the building.
Wir schieben den Schrank vor die Tür.	We push the cupboard in front of the door.
Der Hund springt vor das Tor.	The dog jumps in front of the gate.

The movement is towards a goal, so Akkusativ.

4. “vor” in time – always Dativ

With a time expression, vor means “… ago” or “before” and takes the Dativ, always; Akkusativ never appears.

Time expression	Example sentence
vor zwei Jahren	Vor zwei Jahren war ich in Berlin.
vor einer Woche	Vor einer Woche habe ich ihn gesehen.
vor fünf Minuten	Vor fünf Minuten begann der Film.

In time expressions “vor” never takes Akkusativ.

Traps

TRAP 01

Using Akkusativ when nothing moves

When “wo?” is the question you need Dativ, but learners sense movement and pull out Akkusativ.

Ich bin vor das Haus.

Akkusativ “das” is wrong; a position needs Dativ “dem”.

Ich bin vor dem Haus.

I’m in front of the house (position).

TRAP 02

Trying Akkusativ in a time expression

When “vor” expresses time it always takes Dativ, never Akkusativ.

Vor zwei Jahre habe ich das Buch gelesen.

“zwei Jahre” is Akkusativ; the correct form is “zwei Jahren” (Dativ).

Vor zwei Jahren habe ich das Buch gelesen.

I read the book two years ago.

TRAP 03

Mixing up “vor” and “vorher”

“vorher” is an adverb and needs no case; the preposition “vor” does.

Ich war vorher dem Haus.

“vorher” is an adverb, not a preposition; it takes no case.

Ich war vor dem Haus.

I was in front of the house.

Practice now

What you just learned

Ich habe ihn ___ zwei Jahren gesehen.
Show the answer
vor. To say “ago” in time, use the preposition vor; it always takes Dativ.
“Ich gehe vor dem Haus.” correctly says that I am going to the front of the house.
Show the answer
False. gehen expresses movement (direction), so it needs Akkusativ: vor das Haus.
Es ist fünf ___ zwölf. (five to twelve)
Show the answer
On the clock vor = “to”: fünf vor zwölf = 11:55. nach = “past”.

The other two-way prepositions

Same group

wo? / wohin? — two-way prepositions Prepositions — overview the preposition in the preposition an the preposition auf the preposition über the preposition unter the preposition hinter the preposition neben the preposition zwischen

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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.

vor = in front of
Two cases: standing still takes Dativ (vor dem Haus), moving towards takes Akkusativ (vor das Haus). The opposite is hinter.
Ich stehe vor dem Haus.
vor + time = ago, before
vor zwei Jahren (two years ago) · vor dem Essen (before the meal) — always Dativ.
Vor zwei Jahren war ich in Berlin.
On the clock, vor = to
fünf vor zwölf = 11:55 · Viertel vor acht = 7:45.
Es ist fünf vor zwölf.
Angst vor + Dativ
The fear pattern: Angst haben vor Spinnen · vor der Prüfung.
Ich habe Angst vor Spinnen.

Ich gehe vor dem Haus. (I’m going to the front of it)
Ich gehe vor das Haus.
Going to the front is a direction: Akkusativ.
vor zwei Jahre
vor zwei Jahren
vor in the sense of time takes Dativ: plural -n.
Ich habe Angst von Spinnen.
Ich habe Angst vor Spinnen.
The preposition in the fear pattern is vor.
fünf nach zwölf (when you mean 11:55)
fünf vor zwölf
vor is “to”, nach is “past”.

0707:30

Test yourself

Tap an answer — we will look at why together.

I’m standing in front of the house.

Correct. The question “wo?” needs Dativ, and the article “dem” is Dativ.

I’m going to the front of the house.

Correct. The question “wohin?” needs Akkusativ, and the article “das” is Akkusativ.

The car is parked in front of the door.

Correct. A position is described, so Dativ; “der” is feminine Dativ.

He puts the vase in front of the table.

Correct. The movement goes towards a goal, so Akkusativ; “den” is masculine Akkusativ.

Two years ago I was in Berlin.

Correct. In time expressions “vor” takes Dativ; “zwei Jahren” is plural Dativ.

We’re waiting in front of the cinema.

Correct. Waiting is a position, so Dativ; “dem” is neuter Dativ.

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Worksheet

vor cheat sheet

This whole page — tables, traps, examples — as one PDF. Download it, print it, run through it before the exam.

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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.

Continue to the A2 path

Prepositions