German · A2 · Family moment
Posting a letter together in German
Prepare and post a letter together while describing where things go. Use in and auf with the accusative for destinations, and contrast these with the dative for where things already are.
What you'll learn
- Use in for putting something into a container and auf for putting something onto a surface.
- Choose den, die or das after in and auf when describing a destination.
- Distinguish a destination (wohin?) from a stationary location (wo?).
German phrases for posting a letter together
Steck den Brief in den Umschlag.
Put the letter into the envelope.
In den Umschlag names the destination: into the envelope.
Wollen wir ein Foto in den Umschlag stecken?
Shall we put a photo into the envelope?
The photo goes into the envelope, so use in den Umschlag.
Kleb die Briefmarke auf den Umschlag.
Stick the stamp onto the envelope.
Auf den Umschlag describes the surface the stamp goes onto.
Leg den Umschlag auf den Tisch.
Put the envelope on the table.
Auf den Tisch is a destination: where the envelope is being placed.
Der Umschlag liegt auf dem Tisch.
The envelope is lying on the table.
Auf dem Tisch gives its stationary location, so use the dative.
Ich stecke den Brief in meine Tasche.
I'm putting the letter into my bag.
In meine Tasche describes a destination. With die Tasche, the accusative possessive form is meine.
Kann ich ihn in den Briefkasten werfen?
Can I drop it into the postbox?
In den Briefkasten gives the destination. Ihn refers to the letter.
Jetzt ist unser Brief im Briefkasten.
Now our letter is in the postbox.
Im means in dem: the letter is now in a stationary location.
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Try it free for 7 daysKey words
der Brief
letter
Plural: die Briefe.
der Umschlag
envelope
Plural: die Umschläge.
das Foto
photo
Plural: die Fotos.
die Briefmarke
postage stamp
Plural: die Briefmarken.
der Tisch
table
Plural: die Tische.
die Tasche
bag
Plural: die Taschen.
der Briefkasten
postbox
Plural: die Briefkästen.
das Fach
compartment
Plural: die Fächer.
Destinations: in and auf with the accusative
Use in for a destination inside something and auf for a destination on a surface. These phrases answer wohin? (where to?). The accusative article is den for masculine nouns, die for feminine nouns and das for neuter nouns.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine: der → den | in den / auf den | Steck den Brief in den Umschlag. — Put the letter into the envelope. |
| Feminine: die → die | in die / auf die | Leg den Umschlag in die Tasche. — Put the envelope into the bag. |
| Neuter: das → das | in das / auf das | Leg die Briefmarke auf das Foto. — Put the stamp onto the photo. |
Destination or stationary location?
Choose the case by meaning, not just by whether there is movement. A destination answers wohin? and takes the accusative. A stationary location answers wo? (where?) and takes the dative. In das often becomes ins; in dem becomes im.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Onto the table → on the table | auf den Tisch → auf dem Tisch | Ich lege den Umschlag auf den Tisch. Der Umschlag liegt auf dem Tisch. — I put the envelope on the table. The envelope is lying on the table. |
| Into the bag → in the bag | in die Tasche → in der Tasche | Ich stecke den Brief in die Tasche. Der Brief ist in der Tasche. — I put the letter into the bag. The letter is in the bag. |
| Into the compartment → in the compartment | in das Fach / ins Fach → in dem Fach / im Fach | Ich lege das Foto ins Fach. Das Foto liegt im Fach. — I put the photo into the compartment. The photo is lying in the compartment. |
More examples
Leg das Foto auf den Tisch.
Put the photo on the table.
Destination: auf + accusative den.
Das Foto liegt auf dem Tisch.
The photo is lying on the table.
Stationary location: auf + dative dem.
Steck den Umschlag in die Tasche.
Put the envelope into the bag.
Destination: in + accusative die.
Leg den Brief ins Fach.
Put the letter into the compartment.
Destination: ins is short for in das.