German Prepositional Adverbs for B1 Level: Explanation with Examples
German is known for its complex grammar rules, but with a little bit of practice, it can be easy to master. One such aspect of German grammar is the prepositional adverb, which is a type of adverb which is formed by combining a preposition with the adverb (da-) or (wo-) for interrogatives and can be used to provide more detail and specificity to a sentence. It indicates location or direction. These prepositional adverbs are used to refer to a previous noun or idea, however they don’t replace persons.
Note that if a preposition begins with a vowel you have to add an (-r) after (da-) or (wo-).
Here are some used prepositional adverbs in German and their English translations:
darüber:
Wir haben gestern darüber gesprochen. (We talked about it yesterday.)
dafür:
Ich bin dafür, dass wir das Projekt fortsetzen. (I am for continuing the project.)
damit:
Sie ist damit einverstanden. (She is ok with that.)
dagegen:
Ich bin dagegen, diese Entscheidung zu treffen. (I am against making that decision.)
dazu:
Was sagst du dazu? (What do you say about it?)
danach:
Wir treffen uns danach im Café. (We’ll meet at the café afterwards.)
davor:
Ich war davor noch nie dort gewesen. (I had never been there before.)
daneben:
Das Buch liegt daneben auf dem Tisch. (The book is lying next to it on the table.)
Here are some examples of the use of prepositional adverbs as questions:
Worüber:
Worüber hast du gestern gesprochen? (What did you talk about yesterday?)
Wofür:
Wofür engagierst du dich? (What are you advocating for?)
Damit:
Womit ist sie einverstanden? (What is she okay with?)
Dagegen:
Wogegen sprichst du dich aus? (What are you against?)
Dazu:
Was fällt dir dazu ein? (What comes to your mind about it?)
Danach:
Wofür verabreden wir uns danach? (What are we meeting for afterwards?)
In conclusion, prepositional adverbs are an important aspect of German grammar that add specificity and detail to sentences. With practice, you can master their use and enhance your German speaking and writing skills.