The idea
Learn the complete construction Kontakt zu, including its Dativ complement. The preposition zu belongs to the construction; do not infer its case from English. In a yes/no question the finite verb moves before the subject, while the complement keeps its case.
| Muster | Kasus |
|---|---|
| Kontakt zu | Dativ |
Repair the complement
Ich habe Kontakt zu einen Kollegen.Ich habe Kontakt zu einem Kollegen.Zu takes dative, and the weak noun Kollege retains en.
Examples
- Ich halte Kontakt zu meinem früheren Gastgeber.I keep in touch with my former host.
- Halte ich Kontakt zu meinem früheren Gastgeber?Do I keep in touch with my former host?
- Die Schule pflegt Kontakt zu einer Partnerklasse.The school maintains contact with a partner class.
- Pflegt die Schule Kontakt zu einer Partnerklasse?Does the school maintain contact with a partner class?
- Wir suchen Kontakt zu Menschen mit ähnlichen Interessen.We seek contact with people who have similar interests.
- Suchen wir Kontakt zu Menschen mit ähnlichen Interessen?Do we seek contact with people who have similar interests?
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Watch out
Zu takes dative, and the weak noun Kollege retains en.
Try it yourself
Kontakt ___ — Präposition ergänzen
Show answer or example answer
zu
zu: this is the required preposition in Kontakt zu.
Korrigiere: Ich habe Kontakt zu einen Kollegen.
Show answer or example answer
Ich habe Kontakt zu einem Kollegen.
Ich habe Kontakt zu einem Kollegen. Zu takes dative, and the weak noun Kollege retains en.
Verwandle in eine Ja/Nein-Frage: Ich halte Kontakt zu meinem früheren Gastgeber.
Show answer or example answer
Halte ich Kontakt zu meinem früheren Gastgeber?
Halte ich Kontakt zu meinem früheren Gastgeber? The finite verb comes first; the complement keeps its case.
Practice round
Answer three questions, then rebuild three German sentences. We keep your score.
Kontakt ___ — Präposition ergänzen
Korrigiere: Ich habe Kontakt zu einen Kollegen.
Ich habe Kontakt zu einem Kollegen.
Verwandle in eine Ja/Nein-Frage: Ich halte Kontakt zu meinem früheren Gastgeber.
Halte ich Kontakt zu meinem früheren Gastgeber?
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Keep your progress
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Write two sentences about your own week with Kontakt zu: a statement and the matching yes/no question. The word order changes, but the complement stays in the Dativ; compare both with “Ich habe Kontakt zu einem Kollegen.”.