PrepositionA1

an

at, on, to (touching or close to a vertical surface or point) · on (a day or date) · to (toward a person or institution)

The preposition 'an' means 'at', 'on', or 'to' when something is touching or close to a vertical surface, a border, or a point. It is also used in many fixed expressions and with certain verbs, adjectives, and time expressions.

What an means

  1. at, on, to (touching or close to a vertical surface or point) — with places like walls, tables, doors, or points like corners, and with bodies of water
  2. on (a day or date) — with days of the week, dates, and times of day like 'am Morgen'
  3. to (toward a person or institution) — with verbs like 'schreiben an' (write to) or 'sich wenden an' (turn to)

Heard in real German videos

Lines where an was actually spoken, from German videos watched with DeutschChat.

  • Ihr kommt alle an den Freundlichkeitsbaum.You all come to the kindness tree.
  • Ich bin gerade nicht am Platz.I'm not at my desk right now.

Example sentences

  • Das Bild hängt an der Wand.The picture is hanging on the wall.
  • Ich hänge das Bild an die Wand.I hang the picture on the wall.
  • Am Montag gehe ich ins Kino.On Monday I go to the cinema.
  • Wir treffen uns am Bahnhof.We meet at the train station.

Grammar

Casedative (location) or accusative (direction)
Contractionsam = an dem, ans = an das

Use dative for location (wo?) and accusative for direction (wohin?).

Common phrases

  • an der Reihe seinto be one's turn
  • an etwas denkento think of something
  • am liebstenmost preferably, favorite
  • an und für sichactually, in itself

The mistake English speakers make

English speakers often confuse 'an' with 'auf' or 'in'. Use 'an' for vertical surfaces and points, 'auf' for horizontal surfaces, and 'in' for enclosed spaces.

Don’t confuse it with

  • auf — 'Auf' is used for horizontal surfaces (on top of), while 'an' is for vertical surfaces or points.
  • in — 'In' is used for enclosed spaces, while 'an' is for being at a point or on a vertical surface.

Questions learners ask

When do I use 'an' with dative or accusative?

Use dative when describing a location (where something is) and accusative when describing a direction or movement (where something is going).

What is the difference between 'am' and 'ans'?

'Am' is the contraction of 'an dem' (dative) and 'ans' is the contraction of 'an das' (accusative). Use 'am' for location and 'ans' for direction.

How do I say 'on Monday' in German?

You say 'am Montag'. Days of the week use 'an' with dative, so 'am' is used.

Related words

aufinbei