I'll give you some partial answers and advise you to go to about.com's german area to read more in depth about the prepositions. in - (you are walking INTO the church -- action/) im - contraction for 'in dem' which is the dativ for masc/neuter ) you are IN (inside) a church bei - (at) such as I'm at Debbie's house. I'm at my company picnic. von and vom (von dem - dativ) - um - around, or used in time. Let's go around the city (um die Stadt). They are coming at 3:00 (um 3 Uhr). an (and am - dativ for masc/neuter) - ON in a verticle sense. The clock is on the wall (Die Uhr ist an der Wand). I hang the clock ON the wall -- denotes action so accusative (Ich hänge die Uhr an die Wand) zu (and zum - dativ for masc/neuter) - We're going to church (Wir gehen zu der Kirche). http://german.about.com/library/blcase_acc2.htm http://german.about.com/library/blcase_dat2.htm http://www.acampitelli.com/explain_case_in_German.htm I may be mixing up some of my genders but hope this helps you somewhat or at least gives you more resources.