Langvie / German grammar / The German accusative case, with möchten
The German accusative case, with möchten.
German uses grammatical cases to show the role each noun plays in a sentence. You use the accusative case for the direct object whenever you buy, order, or ask for something.
Subject in nominative and direct object in accusative
The verb decides which case each noun in the sentence takes. The person or thing doing the action is the subject in the nominative case, while the thing the action is done to is the direct object in the accusative case.
| Gender | Nominativ | Akkusativ |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine | der Mann | den Mann |
| Feminine | die Butter | die Butter |
| Neuter | das Brot | das Brot |
| Plural | die Äpfel | die Äpfel |
- Der Mann kauft den Kaffee.The man buys the coffee.
- Die Frau isst die Suppe.The woman eats the soup.
Flexible word order with cases
Because the article shows which noun is the subject and which is the object, German can swap their positions. You can put the accusative object in position 1 for emphasis, while the conjugated verb stays in position 2 and the nominative subject moves right after it.
- Den Salat isst der Mann.The man eats the salad.
- Das Brot kauft die Frau.The woman buys the bread.
Accusative articles, key verbs, and prepositions
Only masculine articles change in the accusative, taking the ending -en on den, einen, keinen, and meinen. This case is used with verbs like möchten, kaufen, brauchen, and haben, as well as after the prepositions für and ohne.
| Masculine article | Nominativ | Akkusativ |
|---|---|---|
| Definite | der Salat | den Salat |
| Indefinite | ein Salat | einen Salat |
| Negative | kein Salat | keinen Salat |
| Possessive | mein Salat | meinen Salat |
- Ich möchte einen Apfel.I would like an apple.
- Er trinkt Tee ohne Milch.He drinks tea without milk.
Exceptions to remember
- Feminine, neuter, and plural nouns keep identical article forms in the accusative. Ich kaufe das Brot und die Butter.
- The verb sein never takes the accusative and always uses the nominative. Das ist ein Apfel.
- The preposition ohne always triggers the accusative even without an article. Ich trinke Kaffee ohne Zucker.
Practice it in the course
This rule is chapter 16 of 31 in the A1 German course in Langvie, after German negation: nicht or kein and before German mögen and gern: saying what you like. In the app the chapter goes on with 8 exercises and a short spoken conversation with an AI partner, which opens with Guten Tag! Was möchten Sie?
Choose the correct indefinite article in Akkusativ. Ich möchte ___ Apfel bitte. (einen / ein / eine)
einen. Masculine direct objects take einen in the accusative. I would like an apple please.
Practice this rule in Langvie.
Chapter 16 of the A1 course, with exercises, cards and a conversation in German.