In German, accusative contractions occur when certain accusative prepositions combine with the neuter definite article das to create a single, shortened word. This is used primarily in spoken language, though sometimes in informal written language as well. Because we at Yabla strive to always transcribe native speakers' words as accurately as possible, you'll see these contractions often. 

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Let's look at examples with some of the prepositions that always take the accusative case. These include bis, durch, für, gegen, je, ohne, um, and wider, but only a few of them work in a contraction:

Rötlich-violette Schwaden ziehen durchs Wasser, das hier fast frei von Sauerstoff ist.

Reddish-violet vapors move through the water, which here is almost oxygen-free.

Caption 8, Alpenseen: Kühle Schönheiten

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Also, vielen Dank fürs Zuschauen.

So, many thanks for watching.

Caption 42, 48 h in Innsbruck: Sehenswürdigkeiten & Tipps

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Wenn der Schutzmann ums Eck kommt, nimmt der Ede Reißaus.

When the lawman comes around the corner, Ede runs away.

Caption 2, Großstadtrevier: Nicht mit mir

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And now for some two-way prepositions, presented here in accusative examples:

Denn das ist unsre Chance aufs Glück.

Since this is our chance for happiness.

Caption 11, Beatrice Egli: Wir leben laut

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Wir gehen ins Kino, OK?

We're going to the movies, OK?

Caption 63, Die Pfefferkörner: Abi um jeden Preis

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Stellen Sie die Lieferung vors Café, ich komm gleich rüber.

Leave the delivery in front of the café, I'll be right over.

Caption 32, Die Pfefferkörner: Das Wunderkind

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Jetzt geht's ans nächste Hindernis direkt an den Kicker.

Now I'll go to the next obstacler, directly to the slope.

Caption 29, 48 h in Innsbruck: Sehenswürdigkeiten & Tipps

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Und es ist wirklich sensationell, mit über vierzig Knoten übers Wasser zu fliegen,

And it's really sensational to fly across the water at more than forty knots

Caption 14, Die Insel Fehmarn: Speedsurfen auf Fehmarn

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Further Learning
Using neuter nouns and prepositions, create your own sentences, or look for additional examples of contractions in use on Yabla German.

A few weeks ago in Part I, we looked at the most common ways to say "before": vor, vorher, and bevor. Let's take a look today at some more German words that are commonly translated into English as "before."

Warum hatte man bis vergangene Woche denn so wenig von ihr gehört?

Why had we heard so little from her before this past week?

Caption 65, Coronavirus - Kommentar zu Angela Merkels Rede

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The preposition bis, usually requiring the accusative case, is also often translated as "until."

Ist natürlich ein besonderer Umstand, nur mit Leuten, die man bisher nicht kannte...

Of course, it's a particular circumstance to only be with people you didn't know before...

Caption 11, Anja Polzer - Interview

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The adverb bisher is sometimes translated to English as "previously."

Ehe du einschläfst, wollte ich dir schnell bloß sagen,

Before you fall asleep, I just wanted to quickly say to you,

Caption 51, Janoschs Traumstunde - Post für den Tiger

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Not to be mixed up with the noun die Ehe ("the marriage"), the conjunction ehe is sometimes spoken in a shortened form as eh. 

Alles das, was früher war

All that was before

wischst du einfach weg

you just wipe away

Captions 20-21, Adel Tawil - 1000 gute Gründe

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The adverb früher (which is also seen as an adjective) is sometimes translated as "previously" or "earlier," depending upon the context.

Die hatte ich vorhin an, zum Beispiel beim Umzug

I had it on before, for example during the parade

oder als wir noch 'nen Auftritt hatten.

or when we had an appearance.

Captions 14-15, Bretten - Das Peter-und-Paul-Fest

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The adverb vorhin sounds similar to vorher, which we read about in Part I, but expresses something that happened in the very recent past—just seconds, minutes, or perhaps a few hours previously.

All das wird auf die Probe gestellt wie nie zuvor.

All of this is being put to the test like never before.

Caption 5, Coronavirus - Fernsehansprache von Angela Merkel

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The adverb zuvor is often translated as "previously" or "beforehand," depending upon the context.

So voll Energie, so hoch wie noch nie

So full of energy, as high as never before

Caption 4, Beatrice Egli - Wir leben laut

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The German phrase noch nie would translate literally as "yet never," but that doesn't make any sense in English and it is usually translated as "never before."

Further Learning
Go to Yabla German and search for some of the words above that are commonly translated as "before" to get a better feel for the contexts in which they are used in a real-world context.