The accusative case
This case is the second most frequently used case. It shows the direct object in a sentence. The direct objects is the object or person suffering from the subjects action which is expressed in the verb. The direct object usually answers the questions who? Or what? after the verb. Look at the following sentence:
Der Junge kauft das Buch.
The boy buys the book.
The boy is doing the action of buying. We can ask: Who buys? The boy. Therefore he is the subject of the sentence. The object affected by his buying is the book. We ask: He buys what? And get the book for an answer. The book is therefore the direct object in this sentence. As book is a neuter word, the form of the article is identical with the nominative case. Many articles actually dont change, in fact its only the masculine words that are different in the nominative and the accusative case. Have a look at the following sentences:
Ich möchte einen Hund kaufen.
I would like to buy a dog.
Meine Mutter mag die Oper Carmen.
My mother likes the opera Carmen.
Morgen gehe ich ein Eis essen.
Tomorrow, I am going to east an ice cream.
Ich habe den Bruder meiner Freundin im Kino getroffen.
I met my friends brother in the movie theatre.
Table: Articles in the accusative case
Masculine Feminine neuter Plural
Definite article den die das die
Indefinite article einen eine ein -
Some prepositions (für, um, durch, gegen, entlang, bis, ohne = for, around, through, against, alongside, until, without) also require the accusative case.
Ich kaufe ein Buch für meinen Bruder.
Ich buy a book for my brother.
Er ging durch einen dunklen Wald.
He crossed a dark forest.
Ich kann nicht ohne meinen Hamster leben.
I cannot live without my hamster.
Das Auto fuhr direkt gegen die Wand.
The car drove straight against the wall.
Accusative

(deleted)
May 27, 2008

jason☺
January 28, 2015
I'm studying Accusative now and trying to consolidate the resources available in the forum.
Is that how lesson 6.6 looked in 2008?
http://members.rocketlanguages.com/lessons/78
No, I am wrong, it is a copy of lesson 14.7 German Cases - Part 2.
http://members.rocketlanguages.com/lessons/1614
Lots of typos above. We have come a long way.

Byron-K21
May 16, 2015
Yes, indeed.