an
Ich war an der Universität.
I was at the university.
at (indicating location or position)
Das Buch liegt an der Tür.
The book is at the door.
Sie arbeitet an einem Projekt.
She is working on a project.
Used with dative case. Common in spatial and temporal contexts.
to (indicating direction toward something)
Ich gehe an den Tisch.
I am going to the table.
Er schreibt an seine Mutter.
He is writing to his mother.
Used with accusative case. Indicates movement toward a specific point.
on (indicating attachment or contact)
Das Bild hängt an der Wand.
The picture is hanging on the wall.
Sie klebt einen Zettel an den Kühlschrank.
She sticks a note on the fridge.
Often used with dative case for static position.
by (indicating proximity or nearness)
Das Café ist an der Ecke.
The café is by the corner.
Used with dative case. Emphasizes closeness.
Collocations
Pro Tip
Case Usage
Remember: 'an' takes the dative case when indicating a static position (e.g., 'Das Bild hängt an der Wand.') and the accusative case when indicating movement toward something (e.g., 'Ich hänge das Bild an die Wand.').
Gold Rule
Static vs. Movement
Use dative for 'where something is' and accusative for 'where something is going'.
Word Origin
From Old High German 'ana', related to Old English 'on' and Latin 'in'. Proto-Germanic '*ana'.
Usage Notes
Always used with either the dative or accusative case depending on context. Dative for static position, accusative for direction toward something.