IGCSE · Cambridge (CIE) · 7159

Prepositions, quantities and time

Use prepositions with their cases, describe place and movement, and handle measurements, dates and duration.

Cambridge IGCSE German - Foreign Language 7159 · Grammar · prepositions, numbers and time

Exam scope and assessment notes

All German texts, listening scripts, prompts, model responses, examples and exercises here are original StudyForA practice, not Cambridge assessment material. The map covers the five broad topic areas, the published grammar categories and the paper formats for both syllabus cycles; Cambridge describes its topic sub-lists as examples rather than an exhaustive vocabulary boundary. The separate 2028 vocabulary spreadsheet is linked but has not been reconciled word by word. German-language specialist review, comprehensive vocabulary auditing and full timed paper simulations remain outstanding. Browser speech synthesis is not Cambridge audio and cannot guarantee accent or pronunciation. Speaking checklists and writing review are practice aids, not an examiner mark or Cambridge moderation. This is not a complete 130-hour course. Confirm exam year, series, zone and entry with your school and Cambridge. Use the paper lesson that matches your examination year; speaking and writing practice does not award official marks. This lesson is shared with German 0525 because Cambridge states the subject content is otherwise the same; 7159 is graded 9–1. Cambridge lists 7159 as a limited-availability 9–1 qualification: in June, zone 3 and centres in Oman and UAE; in November, zone 3 only. Confirm your centre and series before choosing this code.

Before you begin

Work on paper. Try each question before revealing help, and explain why your method works.

Quick readiness check

Choose the location phrase: «Die Katze schläft ___ Bett.»

What you will learn

Recognise common accusative, dative, two-way and genitive prepositions.
Choose accusative or dative with two-way prepositions by movement or location.
Use contractions and «da(r)»-forms in familiar contexts.
Understand cardinal/ordinal numbers, quantity, distance, dates and 12/24-hour time.
Use «seit» with present and imperfect time frames.

Separate location from direction

Some prepositions always take a case: «durch» and «für» use accusative; «mit» and «bei» use dative. Two-way prepositions such as «in», «an» and «auf» commonly use dative for position («Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch») and accusative for a destination or change of position («Ich lege das Buch auf den Tisch»).

A question such as «wo?» (where, position) or «wohin?» (where to, destination) helps, but check the verb and meaning too. Natural contractions include «im» (= «in dem»), «am» (= «an dem») and «zum» (= «zu dem»).

Read numbers and duration precisely

German numbers reverse the units and tens in many two-digit numbers («einundzwanzig» = 21). Dates use ordinal forms («am fünften Mai»); schedules may use either «um halb acht» or the 24-hour clock «um 7.30 Uhr».

Use «seit» for something continuing from a past point: «Ich wohne seit 2022 hier» (present, still true). In a past narrative, the imperfect can show a duration up to that point («Er wohnte dort seit 2020, als ...»). «Darauf», «daran» and «damit» refer back to things or ideas; people usually take a personal pronoun plus preposition.

Sources for this lesson

Pause and explain

You have lived here since 2021 and still live here. Which tense fits «Ich ___ seit 2021 hier»?

Put the idea to work

Worked example

Choose the correct forms: «Das Poster hängt ___ (an, die Wand). Ich hänge das Poster ___ (an, die Wand).» Explain the contrast.

Show the worked solution

Ask where the poster is in the first sentence.
Ask where it is being put in the second.
Use the two-way preposition's case contrast.

Answer «Das Poster hängt an der Wand. Ich hänge das Poster an die Wand.» The first is a location (dative); the second is a destination/change of position (accusative).

From guided practice to a new situation

Write your answer and reasoning first. Use a hint only if you are stuck. The model solution is for self-checking; your written work is not automatically marked.

1 · Guided

Describe a book on a table, then say that you put it on the table. Use «auf» and explain the cases.

Give me a hint

A position and a destination answer different questions.

Compare my reasoning

State where the book is.
State the movement of putting it down.
Use the article endings that show dative and accusative.

«Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch. Ich lege das Buch auf den Tisch.» The book's location uses dative; the destination uses accusative.

Look for these in your work

Distinguishes position from movement
Uses dative for location
Uses accusative for destination

2 · Independent

A club meets every Wednesday at 18:30 and has done so since September 2024. Write the schedule in German and state the ongoing duration.

Give me a hint

Use «jeden Mittwoch», the 24-hour clock and present tense with «seit».

Compare my reasoning

Write the weekday and clock time.
State «seit September 2024».
Use present tense because the meetings continue.

Example: «Der Club trifft sich jeden Mittwoch um 18.30 Uhr. Er trifft sich seit September 2024.» «Seit» plus present marks an ongoing situation.

Look for these in your work

Gives the correct weekday and time
Includes the start date
Uses present tense for the continuing activity

3 · Transfer

A visitor asks how to get a ticket and where to wait: the ticket machine is beside the entrance, the platform is across the hall, and the train leaves at 07:45. Give a concise German direction and include one «da(r)»-reference.

Give me a hint

Use position phrases with the dative and «daran»/«darauf» only when a prior thing or idea is clear.

Compare my reasoning

Locate the machine and platform.
Give the departure time.
Use a natural reference such as «Dort können Sie die Fahrkarte kaufen; danach warten Sie darauf, dass ...» only if the clause is clear.

Example: «Der Fahrkartenautomat steht neben dem Eingang. Kaufen Sie dort die Fahrkarte; der Bahnsteig liegt gegenüber der Halle. Der Zug fährt um 7.45 Uhr ab.» A «da(r)»-form is omitted here because the nouns can be repeated more clearly; use «darauf» only with a clear antecedent.

Look for these in your work

Gives clear locations
Uses the 24-hour time correctly
Chooses clarity instead of a forced «da(r)»-form

Common mistakes

Using accusative for every phrase after a two-way preposition
Reading «einundzwanzig» as 12 rather than 21
Using «seit» with a completed past period that no longer continues

Recall without your notes

What can you explain now?

Which case is typical for a location after «in»?

Compare with the explanation

Dative

For example: «Ich bin in der Schule.» A destination commonly takes accusative.

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Make it stick

Before leaving prepositions, quantities and time, explain one idea from memory, answer the checkpoint and name one point to practise again.

If you needed the solution, close it and solve the problem again from a blank page. A correct answer is stronger when you can explain the reason for each step.

Keep learning German (9-1)

Check the official syllabus 2025–2030