Declension of Pronouns: A Brief Overview

Before we dive into the accusative case, let’s briefly discuss the concept of declension. In German, pronouns are declined to indicate their grammatical role in a sentence. There are four cases in German grammar: nominative, accusative, dative, and genitive. Each case has specific rules for declension, which we’ll explore further in this article.

Accusative Case: When and How to Use It

The accusative case is used for the direct object of a verb – the person or thing receiving the action. To determine which pronouns need to be in the accusative case, look for the verb’s action’s target. The accusative case is also used after specific prepositions, such as durch (through), für (for), gegen (against), ohne (without), and um (around).

Personal Pronouns in the Accusative Case

In the accusative case, the personal pronouns undergo specific changes. Here’s a quick reference table to help you remember the declensions:

Nominative	Accusative
ich	mich
du	dich
er	ihn
sie	sie
es	es
wir	uns
ihr	euch
sie	sie
Sie	Sie

For example:

• Ich sehe dich (I see you).
• Er liebt sie (He loves her).

Possessive Pronouns in the Accusative Case

Possessive pronouns also change according to the accusative case. Here’s an overview of the declensions:

Nominative	Accusative
meiner	meinen
deiner	deinen
seiner	seinen
ihrer	ihren
seiner	seinen
unserer	unseren
eurer	euren
ihrer	ihren
Ihrer	Ihren

For example:

• Er gibt meinem Bruder das Buch (He gives my brother the book).

Demonstrative Pronouns in the Accusative Case

Demonstrative pronouns also undergo declension in the accusative case. Here are the changes:

Nominative	Accusative
dieser	diesen
diese	diese
dieses	dieses

For example:

• Ich habe diesen Kuchen gekauft (I bought this cake).

Indefinite Pronouns in the Accusative Case

Indefinite pronouns, like “jemand” (someone) or “etwas” (something), remain unchanged in the accusative case.

For example:

• Ich habe jemanden getroffen (I met someone).

Tips for Mastering Accusative Pronoun Declension

1. Practice regularly: Familiarize yourself with the declension tables and practice using them in various sentence structures.
2. Learn verbs that require the accusative case: Some verbs always take the accusative case, such as sehen (to see), hören (to hear), and finden (to find). Memorize these verbs and practice using them in sentences.
3. Study prepositions that require the accusative case: As mentioned earlier, certain prepositions require the accusative case. Make a list of these prepositions and practice using them in sentences.

By following these tips and consistently practicing, you’ll soon become proficient in declining pronouns in the accusative case. With a solid foundation in German grammar, you’ll be able to communicate clearly and effectively in both written and spoken language. Happy learning!