German Phrase
Du kommst an einer Buchhandlung vorbei.
Meaning
The sentence means “You pass by a bookstore.” It uses the verb ‘vorbeikommen’ in a separable prefix construction, indicating that the subject walks past or goes past a location without necessarily entering it.
When to use
Use this phrase when describing a route or giving directions, especially when you want to note that someone walks past a specific shop or landmark without stopping. It’s common in everyday conversation about daily commutes or city navigation.
✦Grammar Breakdown
DukommstaneinerBuchhandlungvorbei
Subject‑Verb Agreement
‘Du’ (you) takes the 2nd‑person singular form ‘kommst’ of the verb ‘kommen’.
Separable Prefix ‘vorbei’
In main clauses, the prefix separates from the verb and moves to the sentence end: ‘kommst … vorbei’.
Preposition ‘an’ + Dative
‘an’ with the dative case (einer) indicates location next to something, here ‘an einer Buchhandlung’ = ‘by a bookstore’.
Indefinite Article ‘einer’
Because ‘Buchhandlung’ is feminine, the dative singular indefinite article is ‘einer’.
🗨In Conversation
Entschuldigung, wo ist die Bibliothek?
Excuse me, where is the library?
Gehen Sie geradeaus, und Sie kommen an einer Buchhandlung vorbei. Dort biegen Sie rechts ab.
Go straight, and you’ll pass a bookstore. Then turn right there.
✕Common Mistakes
Du vorbei kommst an einer Buchhandlung.
Do not place ‘vorbei’ before the verb; it must stay at the end of the clause.
Du kommst an dem Buchhandlung vorbei.
With a feminine noun you need the dative ‘einer’, not ‘an dem’ (which is masculine/neuter).
Du kommst vorbei an einer Buchhandlung.
While understandable, the natural order in German is ‘Du kommst an einer Buchhandlung vorbei.’
↔Alternatives
Du gehst an einer Buchhandlung vorbei.
You go past a bookstore.
Du läufst an einer Buchhandlung vorbei.
You walk past a bookstore.
Du kommst an einer Buchhandlung vorbei, ohne einzusteigen.
You pass a bookstore without going in.
Cultural Tip
In German, the separable prefix ‘vorbei’ moves to the end of the clause, which can feel odd to English speakers. When giving directions, Germans often use landmarks like a ‘Buchhandlung’ (bookstore) because they’re easy to spot. Remember that ‘vorbeikommen’ can also be used figuratively, e.g., ‘Der Zug kommt am Bahnhof vorbei’ (The train passes the station).