zwischen (between - two-way preposition)

Meaning

zwischen means between (two or more people, things, places, times, or points). It places something in the space that separates them.

Case government - a two-way preposition

"zwischen" is a Wechselpräposition (two-way preposition). The case depends on the question it answers:

• Wo? (where? - static location, no change of place) -> Dative
• Die Vase steht zwischen den Büchern. (The vase is standing between the books.)
• Wohin? (where to? - movement toward/into the space) -> Accusative
• Sie stellt die Vase zwischen die Bücher. (She puts the vase between the books.)

A quick test: verbs of position (stehen, liegen, sitzen, sein, schlafen) usually take the dative; verbs of putting/moving (stellen, legen, setzen, gehen, rollen, schieben) usually take the accusative.

The article forms

Note the dative plural adds an -n to the noun where possible: zwischen den Büchern*, zwischen den Bergen, zwischen den Kindern*.

Other uses (always dative)

• Time: Ich komme zwischen acht und neun Uhr. (I'll come between eight and nine.)
• Abstract/relationships: Der Unterschied zwischen den Modellen ist groß. (The difference between the models is big.)
• Choice: wählen zwischen* + dative - Wir wählen zwischen zwei Angeboten.* (We choose between two offers.)

These non-spatial meanings are always dative; the accusative only appears with real movement into a space.

Most common mistake

Using the accusative for a static position. "The lamp hangs between the windows" describes where it is (no movement), so it is Die Lampe hängt zwischen den Fenstern (dative), not zwischen die Fenster. Also don't forget the extra -n on the dative plural noun.

"zwischen" (between) is a two-way preposition: Dativ for a location (Wo?), Akkusativ for a direction/movement (Wohin?).

Ask the test question: 'Wo?' (where is it?) means a static position, so 'zwischen' takes the dative (zwischen den Stühlen). 'Wohin?' (where to?) means motion into the space, so it takes the accusative (zwischen die Stühle). In the dative plural, remember the extra -n on the noun: den Büchern, den Bergen, den Kindern.

"zwischen" ist eine Wechselpräposition: Dativ bei einem Ort (Wo?), Akkusativ bei einer Richtung/Bewegung (Wohin?).