What are fixed prepositions in German?

They are verb-preposition combinations that must be memorized together because the preposition is part of the verb’s meaning. For example, warten auf means “to wait for,” and the preposition often does not match English word-for-word.

How do I know which case to use after a fixed preposition?

You have to learn the preposition + case with each verb. For example, auf and an usually take the accusative here, while mit , von , and vor take the dative .

How do I ask questions like “What are you waiting for?” in German?

Use a Wo- question with the preposition: warten auf becomes Worauf wartest du? . If the preposition begins with a vowel, German often adds -r- for smoother pronunciation, like worauf or worüber .

Fixed Prepositions — The Verb's Best Friend 🤞🔗

Many German verbs are intrinsically linked to specific prepositions that don't always translate directly to English. For example, 'warten auf' (to wait for) or 'sich erinnern an' (to remember). You must memorize the verb, its preposition, and the required case together.

Infographic displaying common German Fixed Prepositions (warten auf, denken an, etc.).

Some verbs in German are lonely. They refuse to go out unless they can bring their specific preposition with them. We call these Fixed Prepositions. It’s not just "waiting," it’s "waiting for." ⏳

Why is it hard? 😫

Unlike in English, the prepositions don't always match up.

English: I wait for the bus.
German: Ich warte auf den Bus. (Literally: "on" the bus).

If you say Ich warte für den Bus, a German might think you are waiting on behalf of the bus because the bus is busy. 🚌💨

Common Verb + Preposition Combinations

Verb	Preposition	Case	Meaning	Example
warten	auf	Acc	to wait for	Ich warte auf dich.
denken	an	Acc	to think of	Ich denke an dich.
sprechen	mit	Dat	to speak with	Ich spreche mit dir.
sprechen	über	Acc	to speak about	Wir sprechen über das Wetter.
sich freuen	auf	Acc	look forward to	Ich freue mich auf den Sommer.
sich freuen	über	Acc	be happy about	Ich freue mich über das Geschenk.
träumen	von	Dat	to dream of	Ich träume von dir.
angst haben	vor	Dat	be afraid of	Ich habe Angst vor Spinnen.

💡 The "Wo-" Question Hack

How do you ask "What are you waiting for?"
You can't say Für was wartest du? (Wrong!)
You combine the preposition with Wo-:

Auf + was = Worauf wartest du? (What are you waiting for?)
Über + was = Worüber recht ihr? (What are you talking about?)

Note: If the preposition starts with a vowel (like auf or über), add an extra -r- to make it smooth. Wo-r-auf.

Fixed Prepositions — The Verb's Best Friend 🤞🔗

Why is it hard? 😫

Common Verb + Preposition Combinations

💡 The "Wo-" Question Hack

See also...

Ready to practice?