Accusative case: direct objects

In brief

The accusative (Akkusativ) marks the direct object: the person or thing directly affected by an action. In ‘Ich sehe den Hund,’ the dog is what I see. English usually does not change ‘the’ here, but German changes some articles. Look at the noun receiving the action, then choose its accusative article.

Form

For a masculine singular noun, der → den and ein → einen. Feminine die/eine, neuter das/ein, and plural die keep the same article forms in the accusative.

Usage

• Use the accusative for the direct object of verbs such as sehen, kaufen, haben, and suchen.
• Ask ‘Whom or what do I see or buy?’ to find the direct object.
• Pay special attention to masculine singular articles; other articles listed here do not change.

Examples

• Ich sehe den Hund. — I see the dog.
• Sie kauft einen Apfel. — She buys an apple.
• Wir suchen die Schlüssel. — We are looking for the keys.
• Er hat das Buch. — He has the book.

Common mistake

❌ Ich sehe der Hund.

✅ Ich sehe den Hund.

Unlike English ‘the,’ the article for a masculine singular direct object changes from der to den.

Remember

For a masculine singular direct object, remember den or einen.