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Location or destination: two-way prepositions

In English, we usually use the same prepositions whether we are already in a place or moving towards it. You stand behind the door, and you also walk behind the door. In German, this distinction is incredibly important. A special group of prepositions requires you to change the grammatical case depending on what is happening.

These are known as two-way prepositions. The group includes words like hinter, zwischen, neben, unter, vor, and über. Three very common classics, in, an, and auf, also belong to this family. If you are describing a static location, you must use the dative case. If you are describing a movement towards a new destination, you must use the accusative case.

Word list
hinterA1 behind dative: hinter dem Haus, accusative: hinter das Haus zwischenA1 between dative: zwischen den Stühlen, accusative: zwischen die Stühle nebenA2 beside dative: neben mir, accusative: neben mich überA2 over dative: über dem Tisch, accusative: über den Tisch unterA2 under dative: unter dem Bett, accusative: unter das Bett vorA2 in front of dative: vor der Tür, accusative: vor die Tür
The rule of thumb: Where vs. Where to

To choose the right case, ask yourself a simple question. Are you answering "where?" (static location) or "where to?" (movement to a goal)?

If the action answers "where?" (wo?), the preposition takes the dative case. This tells us where something is currently located or happening.

Die Lampe hängt über dem Tisch.
(The lamp hangs above the table.)
Die Katze schläft vor der Tür.
(The cat is sleeping in front of the door.)

If the action answers "where to?" (wohin?), the preposition takes the accusative case. This describes the destination of a movement.

Ich hänge die Lampe über den Tisch.
(I hang the lamp above the table.)
Die Katze läuft vor die Tür.
(The cat runs in front of the door.)
Positioning objects and people

This rule applies perfectly to placing objects or positioning yourself. Let us look at unter, neben, zwischen, and hinter. Notice how the case changes depending on whether someone is already there, or moving to that spot.

Der Hund liegt unter dem Bett.
(The dog is lying under the bed.)
Der Hund kriecht unter das Bett.
(The dog crawls under the bed.)
Er sitzt neben mir.
(He is sitting next to me.)
Er setzt sich neben mich.
(He sits down next to me.)
Das Foto liegt zwischen den Büchern.
(The photo is lying between the books.)
Ich lege das Foto zwischen die Bücher.
(I put the photo between the books.)
Wir stehen hinter dem Haus.
(We are standing behind the house.)
Wir gehen hinter das Haus.
(We walk behind the house.)
Watch out: Movement within a location

A very common trap for English speakers is assuming that any verb involving movement automatically takes the accusative case. This is not true. The accusative is only for crossing a boundary to reach a new destination.

If you are moving around, but you stay entirely within one location, you are still answering the question "where?". Therefore, you must use the dative case.

Wir tanzen vor dem Haus.
(We are dancing in front of the house.)

In the example above, dancing involves a lot of movement. However, the dancing takes place entirely in one location (in front of the house). Since you are not traveling from somewhere else to the front of the house, it requires the dative case.

Summary

When using two-way prepositions, look at the action. Use the dative case when describing a static location or an action happening in one place (answering "where?"). Use the accusative case when describing a movement directed towards a new destination (answering "where to?").