Master German Prepositions: Top 10 Dative Prepositions

German has 25 prepositions that always take the dative case, but you really only need to know ten of them well to handle almost everything from A1 through B1 level. Here are the ten that matter most, plus a quick reference list of the other fifteen for when you need them.

The Top 10 Dative Prepositions

ab (from/starting from), aus (from/out of), außer (except for/besides), bei (at/with), gegenüber (across from/opposite), mit (with), nach (after/to), seit (since/for), von (from/of), and zu (to) cover the vast majority of everyday situations where German requires the dative.

Ich komme aus der Schweiz. (I'm from Switzerland.)
Nach der Arbeit gehe ich nach Hause. (After work, I go home.)
Das Café ist dem Bahnhof gegenüber. / Das Café ist gegenüber dem Bahnhof. (The café is across from the train station — gegenüber can go before or after the noun.)

The Other 15 Dative Prepositions (Less Common, Still Good to Know)

abgesehen von, aufgrund von / auf Grund von, binnen, entgegen, entsprechend, fern, gemäß, laut, nahe, samt / mitsamt, zufolge, zugunsten, zuliebe, zuungunsten, and zuwider round out the full list of 25. Most of these show up mainly in formal, written, or legal German, so they're worth recognizing but not urgent to actively use.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many German prepositions always take the dative case?

There are 25 in total, though only about 10 are used frequently in everyday German.

Which are the 10 most important dative prepositions?

ab, aus, außer, bei, gegenüber, mit, nach, seit, von, and zu.

What's the difference between aus and von?

"Aus" describes origin from inside something, like a country or a container, while "von" describes origin from a point or person more broadly.

Where can gegenüber go in a sentence?

Gegenüber is flexible — it can come before or after the noun or pronoun it relates to, e.g. "gegenüber dem Bahnhof" or "dem Bahnhof gegenüber."

Are the other 15 dative prepositions worth learning at B1 level?

Not urgently — most of them, like zufolge, zugunsten, or gemäß, appear mainly in formal or written German, so they can wait until a later stage.

Our B1 German course builds preposition practice like this into every lesson, well beyond just these ten.