German · A1 · Everyday language
Find Your Things in German
Help your child find everyday belongings in their room. Learn how to say where things are using auf (on), unter (under), in (in), neben (next to) and hinter (behind). Use informal dein/deine for “your” when speaking to your child.
What you'll learn
- Tell your child where their belongings are.
- Use five prepositions to describe location.
- Recognise dem and der after location prepositions.
- Use ist for one thing and sind for plural things.
German phrases for find your things
Dein Handy ist auf dem Schreibtisch.
Your phone is on the desk.
Das Handy means “mobile phone”. Auf dem Schreibtisch means “on the desk”.
Deine Turnschuhe sind unter dem Bett.
Your trainers are under the bed.
Turnschuhe is plural, so use deine and sind.
Dein Notizbuch ist in deiner Tasche.
Your notebook is in your bag.
Die Tasche becomes deiner Tasche after in when describing location.
Deine Gitarre ist neben dem Schrank.
Your guitar is next to the cupboard.
Use deine with the feminine noun Gitarre. Neben means “next to”.
Dein Rucksack ist hinter der Tür.
Your backpack is behind the door.
Die Tür becomes der Tür after hinter when describing location.
Deine Kopfhörer sind auf dem Stuhl.
Your headphones are on the chair.
Kopfhörer is used in the plural here, so use deine and sind.
Dein Ball ist unter dem Schreibtisch.
Your ball is under the desk.
Unter dem Schreibtisch means “under the desk”.
Dein Ladegerät ist in der Schublade.
Your charger is in the drawer.
Die Schublade becomes der Schublade after in when describing location.
Hear these phrases and practise them
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Try it free for 7 daysKey words
das Handy
mobile phone
A common everyday German noun, written with a capital H.
die Turnschuhe
trainers; sneakers
Plural. One trainer is der Turnschuh.
das Notizbuch
notebook
A book for writing notes, not a computer.
die Tasche
bag
In deiner Tasche means “in your bag”.
die Gitarre
guitar
Use deine Gitarre for “your guitar”.
der Rucksack
backpack
Use dein Rucksack for “your backpack”.
die Kopfhörer
headphones
Plural in these phrases.
der Ball
ball
Use dein Ball for “your ball”.
das Ladegerät
charger
The device used to charge a phone or another electronic item.
der Schreibtisch
desk
Auf dem Schreibtisch means “on the desk”.
das Bett
bed
Unter dem Bett means “under the bed”.
der Schrank
cupboard; wardrobe
A storage unit with doors.
die Tür
door
Hinter der Tür means “behind the door”.
der Stuhl
chair
Auf dem Stuhl means “on the chair”.
die Schublade
drawer
In der Schublade means “in the drawer”.
Saying where something is
These phrases answer Wo? (“Where?”). Use the dative case after these five prepositions when describing location. For singular nouns, der and das become dem; die becomes der. These prepositions can use a different case when describing movement to a destination.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| on | auf + dative | auf dem Schreibtisch — on the desk |
| under | unter + dative | unter dem Bett — under the bed |
| in | in + dative | in der Schublade — in the drawer |
| next to | neben + dative | neben dem Schrank — next to the cupboard |
| behind | hinter + dative | hinter der Tür — behind the door |
Choosing the form of “your”
Dein is the informal word for “your” when speaking to one person. Its ending depends on the noun’s gender, number and case. At the start of these sentences, use dein for masculine and neuter nouns, and deine for feminine and plural nouns.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine subject | dein + noun | dein Ball — your ball |
| Neuter subject | dein + noun | dein Handy — your phone |
| Feminine subject | deine + noun | deine Gitarre — your guitar |
| Plural subject | deine + noun | deine Turnschuhe — your trainers |
| Feminine dative | deiner + noun | in deiner Tasche — in your bag |
Using “is” and “are”
Use ist for one thing and sind for plural things. A useful pattern is: belonging + ist/sind + location.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| One thing | singular subject + ist + location | Dein Ball ist unter dem Schreibtisch. |
| Plural things | plural subject + sind + location | Deine Turnschuhe sind unter dem Bett. |
More examples
Wo ist dein Handy? — Auf dem Schreibtisch.
Where is your phone? — On the desk.
Wo ist …? asks where one thing is.
Wo sind deine Turnschuhe? — Unter dem Bett.
Where are your trainers? — Under the bed.
Wo sind …? asks where plural things are.
Wo ist dein Notizbuch? — In deiner Tasche.
Where is your notebook? — In your bag.
A short location phrase is a natural answer to a Wo question.