Präpositionen für Ort (in, an, auf...)
Wechselpräpositionen (two-way prepositions) can be used with both the Dativ and the Akkusativ: if the question is 'wo?' (where – position) the Dativ follows, if it is 'wohin?' (where to – movement) the Akkusativ follows. This is one of the most elegant rules of German: the same preposition can take two different cases depending on the meaning, and the change of case also makes the meaning clear.
INTRODUCTION
Wechselpräpositionen (two-way prepositions) can be used with both the Dativ and the Akkusativ: if the question is 'wo?' (where – position) the Dativ follows, if it is 'wohin?' (where to – movement) the Akkusativ follows. This is one of the most elegant rules of German: the same preposition can take two different cases depending on the meaning, and the change of case also makes the meaning clear.