Niw Englisch/Grammar/Prepositions and Postpositions

Each preposition governs one or more cases of noun, which determine the definite article and adjective forms, and inflections of the nouns.

Genitive

• andlang alongside
• for because of
• ȝonseids on that side of
• innen inside of
• onstaal instead of
• þisseids on this side of
• uten outside of

• Wiȝ sind for þes Wedders læt We're late because of the weather
• Scie is ȝonseids þer Burg She's on that side of the city.
• Wiȝ treddeden andlang þes Streames We walked along the stream.
• Ic sawe Mockingjay onstaal þes Filmes The Shadow. I saw Mockingjay instead of the movie The Shadow.

Dative

• buten: except; free from
• fram: from, by (passive agent)
• mid: together with, with, among

Examples:

• It warþ fram meiner Swester geslagen it was hit by my sister
• Hje sind fram Frankland they are from France
• Ic em mid meiner Moder I am together with my mother

Accusative

• ȝond throughout, during
• oþ up to, till, as far as, until
• þurh through; by (passive agent)
• um around, about

Examples:

• ȝond þie Wuke during the week
• um mein Huus around my house
• um 7 Uhr about seven o'clock
• Wiȝ bleifeþ oþ þen Æfen We're staying till the evening.
• Þein Auto was þurh mein Auto geslagen your car was hit by my car.

Dative/Accusative

• betwix: between
• buten: outside of
• in: w.d. in; w.a. in, inside, into
• ofer
• on: w.d.a. on
• under: w.d.a. under
• wiþ: w.d. against (opposition); from (separation); w.a. with, at; w.d.a. beside, opposite, near;

Examples:

• ic fehte wiþ him I'm fighting against him
• þu gæst wiþ þeines Bruders Huus you're going from your brother's house
• Ga wiþ þat Auto and beleife. Go beside that car and wait.
• he stændeþ buten þem Huus. Ic ga buten þat Huus. He's standing outside of the house. I'm going out of the house.
• Laak ofer þen Hund! Leap over the dog!
• Meine Bok is underm Beod. My book is under the table.

Abbreviations

Like German, some prepositions merge with the definite article to form an abbreviated form. The most common are:

• in þem -> im
• on þem -> om
• in þat -> int
• on þat -> ont
• innen þes -> innens

Examples:

• Hje gingen innens Huuses they went inside the house
• Ic em im Auto I'm in the car
• Mein Katte is om Bedd My cat is on the bed