Preposition 'um' (around/at, accusative)

Spatial 'um' means 'around' and takes the accusative. It describes a position or movement around something.

• Wir sitzen um den Tisch. - We are sitting around the table. (masculine: der -> den)
• Die Erde dreht sich um die Sonne. - The Earth turns around the sun.
• Sie gehen um das Haus. - They walk around the house.

Often um is reinforced with herum: um den See herum - (all the way) around the lake.

Contraction: um das -> ums (ums Haus).

Common mistakes:

• Confusing this spatial um (around, accusative) with the time um used for clock times: um acht Uhr - at eight o'clock. The time um is a different use.
• Using the dative: it is um den Tisch, not um dem Tisch.

'um' (around) takes the accusative (spatial 'around').

Spatial 'um' (around) always takes the accusative.

'um' (um etwas herum) steht mit dem Akkusativ.