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'Am Strand', 'an der Ecke': when German says 'an'

German uses the preposition an for places where you are right next to an edge, a line or a surface: the beach, the border, the wall, the window, the corner. You lie am Strand, you wait an der Grenze, a picture hangs an der Wand, and you meet a friend an der Ecke.

English speakers find this tricky because English spreads these places across several prepositions: on the beach, at the border, on the wall, by the window. So learners often reach for auf or bei. In German, one small word covers the whole group.

Word list
ComputermA1 computer am Computer = at/on the computer FensternA1 window am Fenster = by the window FeuernA1 fire am Feuer = by the fire FlughafenmA1 airport am Flughafen = at the airport FlussmA1 river am Fluss = by the river MeernA1 sea ans Meer = to the seaside PCmA1 computer am PC = on the PC SchreibtischmA1 desk am Schreibtisch = at the desk SeemA1 lake am See = by the lake StationfA1 station an der Station = at the stop StrandmA1 beach am Strand = on the beach TelefonnA1 phone am Telefon = on the phone TischmA1 table am Tisch = at the table TürfA1 door an der Tür = at the door WandfA1 wall an der Wand = on the wall Atlantischer OzeanmA2 Atlantic Ocean am Atlantischen Ozean = on the Atlantic AusgangmA2 exit am Ausgang = at the exit BackofenmA2 oven am Backofen = at the oven BahnhofmA2 railway station am Bahnhof = at the station BushaltestellefA2 bus stop an der Bushaltestelle = at the bus stop DeckefA2 ceiling an der Decke = from the ceiling EingangmA2 entrance am Eingang = at the entrance GrenzefA2 border an der Grenze = at the border HaltestellefA2 bus stop an der Haltestelle = at the bus stop Indischer OzeanmA2 Indian Ocean am Indischen Ozean = on the Indian Ocean KüstefA2 coast an der Küste = on the coast OfenmA2 oven am Ofen = by the stove OzeanmA2 ocean am Ozean = by the ocean Pazifischer OzeanmA2 Pacific Ocean am Pazifischen Ozean = on the Pacific RechnermA2 computer am Rechner = at the computer ThekefA2 counter an der Theke = at the counter/bar AmpelfB1 traffic light an der Ampel = at the traffic lights BachmB1 stream am Bach = by the stream BahnsteigmB1 platform am Bahnsteig = on the platform BildschirmmB1 screen am Bildschirm = at a screen BrunnenmB1 well am Brunnen = at the well/fountain EckefB1 corner an der Ecke = on the corner EingangstürfB1 front door an der Eingangstür = at the front door EmpfangmB1 front desk am Empfang = at the front desk FahrkartenschaltermB1 ticket office am Fahrkartenschalter = at the ticket office HafenmB1 port am Hafen = at/by the harbour HaustürfB1 front door an der Haustür = at the front door HerdmB1 stove am Herd = at the stove KanalmB1 canal am Kanal = by the canal KreuzungfB1 intersection an der Kreuzung = at the junction KüchenspülefB1 kitchen sink an der Küchenspüle = at the kitchen sink LaptopmB1 laptop am Laptop = on the laptop MauerfB1 wall an der Mauer = by/on the wall MonitormB1 monitor am Monitor = at the monitor RandmB1 edge am Rand der Stadt = on the edge of town RezeptionfB1 front desk an der Rezeption = at reception SchaltermB1 counter am Schalter = at the counter SpülefB1 kitchen sink an der Spüle = at the sink TafelfB1 blackboard an der Tafel = on the board TicketschaltermB1 ticket office am Ticketschalter = at the ticket office TornB1 gate am Tor = at the gate WaschbeckennB1 washbasin am Waschbecken = at the basin WasserfallmB1 waterfall am Wasserfall = at the waterfall ZimmerdeckefB1 ceiling an der Zimmerdecke = on the ceiling Arktischer OzeanmB2 Arctic Ocean am Arktischen Ozean = on the Arctic Ocean BankautomatmB2 cash machine am Bankautomaten = at the ATM BankomatmB2 cash machine am Bankomaten = at the ATM FußgängerüberwegmB2 pedestrian crossing am Fußgängerüberweg = at the pedestrian crossing GeldautomatmB2 cash machine am Geldautomaten = at the cash machine GolfmB2 bay am Golf von Mexiko = on the Gulf of Mexico LagerfeuernB2 campfire am Lagerfeuer = by the campfire MittelmeernB2 Mediterranean Sea am Mittelmeer = on the Mediterranean NordpolmB2 North Pole am Nordpol = at the North Pole PultnB2 desk am Pult = at the desk/lectern SpülbeckennB2 kitchen sink am Spülbecken = at the sink StraßenkreuzungfB2 intersection an der Straßenkreuzung = at the crossroads Südlicher OzeanmB2 Southern Ocean am Südlichen Ozean = on the Southern Ocean SüdpolmB2 South Pole am Südpol = at the South Pole SüdpolarmeernB2 Southern Ocean am Südpolarmeer = on the Southern Ocean TeichmB2 pond am Teich = by the pond TresenmB2 counter am Tresen = at the counter/bar UfernB2 bank am Ufer = on the bank VordertürfB2 front door an der Vordertür = at the front door ZebrastreifenmB2 pedestrian crossing am Zebrastreifen = at the zebra crossing ÄquatormC1 equator am Äquator = on the equator HorizontmC1 horizon am Horizont = on the horizon KaminmC1 fireplace am Kamin = by the fireplace KassefC1 cash register an der Kasse = at the till RegistrierkassefC1 cash register an der Registrierkasse = at the till TalsperrefC1 dam an der Talsperre = at the dam DonaufC2 Danube an der Donau = on the Danube RheinmC2 Rhine am Rhein = on the Rhine
How it works

Think of an as meaning right beside something, touching its edge. The thing has a side, a line or a front, and you are at that side. You are not on top of it and not inside it.

Like other two-way prepositions, an takes the dative for location (where?) and the accusative for movement towards a place (where to?). With masculine and neuter nouns, an dem almost always shortens to am, and an das shortens to ans.

  • Where? am Meer, am Fluss, an der Küste
  • Where to? ans Meer, an den Fluss, an die Küste
Im Sommer fahren wir ans Meer.
(In summer we go to the seaside.)
Ich hänge das Bild an die Wand.
(I'm hanging the picture on the wall.)
The words
Water and shores

Any place beside water takes an: Meer, Ozean, Mittelmeer, See, Teich, Fluss, Bach, and the edges themselves, Strand, Küste and Ufer. You go on holiday ans Mittelmeer, have a picnic am Bach and walk am Ufer.

Die Kinder spielen den ganzen Tag am Strand.
(The children play on the beach all day.)
Meine Großeltern wohnen direkt am See.
(My grandparents live right by the lake.)
Borders, walls and edges

Grenze, Wand, Mauer and Rand are lines or surfaces, so they take an as well: am Rand der Stadt means on the edge of town.

An der Grenze müssen wir unsere Pässe zeigen.
(We have to show our passports at the border.)
In a room

You sit am Fenster, am Tisch or am Schreibtisch, you stand an der Tür, and a pupil writes an der Tafel. In each case you are beside it, facing its surface.

Er sitzt am Fenster und liest.
(He's sitting by the window, reading.)
Um sieben sitzen wir alle am Tisch.
(At seven we're all sitting at the table.)
Points in town

The same goes for spots where you stop or queue: Ecke, Kreuzung, Ampel, Haltestelle, Bahnhof, Eingang, Ausgang, Theke, Kasse and Fahrkartenschalter. You meet am Eingang or am Bahnhof and order a drink an der Theke.

Wir treffen uns an der Ecke.
(We'll meet on the corner.)
Ich warte schon zehn Minuten an der Haltestelle.
(I've been waiting at the bus stop for ten minutes.)
An der Ampel musst du links abbiegen.
(Turn left at the traffic lights.)
Bitte bezahlen Sie an der Kasse.
(Please pay at the till.)
Watch out

These nouns do not always take an. The preposition describes where you are, so a different position needs a different word. Am See means on the shore, but out in a boat you are auf dem See. Am Meer is the seaside, but when you swim you are im Meer. The plate is auf dem Tisch, while the people are am Tisch. Some speakers even say auf dem Strand to stress the sandy surface, though am Strand is the everyday choice.

Das Boot ist mitten auf dem See.
(The boat is in the middle of the lake.)
Im Juli ist es warm genug, im Meer zu schwimmen.
(In July it's warm enough to swim in the sea.)

You will also hear an der Universität studieren or teach an einer Schule. That is a different use: it expresses belonging to an institution, not standing at its edge. Learn it separately.

Summary

If you are right beside something, at its shore, edge, side or front, use an: am Strand, an der Grenze, am Fenster, an der Kasse. Use the dative (am, an der) for where you are and the accusative (ans, an die) for where you are going. Switch to auf for on top and in for inside.