entlang

• lang (chiefly colloquial; postposition only)

From Middle Low German entlanc, which is a contraction of in lang (with a gliding sound -t-).

• IPA^(key): /ɛntˈlaŋ/

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• Rhymes: -aŋ

entlang (+ accusative or with an + dative)

1. along

   Ich gehe den Fluss entlang.

   I walk along the river.

   Ich gehe an dem Fluss entlang.

   I walk along the river.

entlang (+ genitive or dative)

1. along

   Ich gehe entlang des Flusses.

   I walk along the river.

   Ich gehe entlang dem Fluss.

   I walk along the river.

• The postposition usage is more common than the preposition, not only but particularly in speech.
• Apart from the ways of construction mentioned above, additional ones are possible in older or regional usage. One may still hear the postposition used with a bare dative: Ich gehe dem Fluss entlang. The preposition has also been construed with the accusative: Ich gehe entlang den Fluss. The latter is now nonstandard, however.