TOPIC · Prepositions (Präpositionen)

Prepositions used with the Genitive in German

B1B2

After this lesson you can recognize the main German prepositions that take the Genitive and use them correctly in your own sentences.

In this lesson you learn the most common German prepositions that take the Genitive and how to use them correctly in sentences. These prepositions appear very often in written, formal or more advanced German.

Important prepositions with the Genitive

Meanings and examples

Präposition	Function / note	Example	Meaning
anhand	means, instrument	Anhand dieses Berichts können wir die Situation besser verstehen.	Using this report we can understand the situation better.
angesichts	cause, reason	Angesichts der aktuellen Lage bleiben die Schulen geschlossen.	Because of the current situation the schools remain closed.
anlässlich	occasion (often time)	Anlässlich des Jubiläums findet ein Konzert statt.	On the occasion of the anniversary there is a concert.
anstelle	replacement, alternative	Anstelle des Lehrers unterrichtet heute die Assistentin.	Today the assistant teaches instead of the teacher.
außerhalb	place or time outside a limit	Außerhalb der Stadt sind die Mieten günstiger.	Outside the city rents are cheaper.
innerhalb	place or time within a limit	Innerhalb des Gebäudes herrscht Rauchverbot.	Inside the building smoking is forbidden.
oberhalb	located higher	Oberhalb des Dorfes beginnt der Wald.	Above the village the forest begins.
unterhalb	located lower	Unterhalb der Brücke fließt ein kleiner Bach.	Below the bridge a small stream flows.
statt	replacement, alternative	Statt eines Autos kauft sie ein Fahrrad.	Instead of a car she buys a bike.
trotz	concession, contrast	Trotz des schlechten Wetters machen wir ein Picknick.	In spite of the bad weather we have a picnic.
während	simultaneity, time period	Während des Unterrichts ist das Handy ausgeschaltet.	During the lesson the phone is switched off.
wegen	cause, reason	Wegen des Staus kommen wir zu spät.	Because of the traffic jam we arrive late.

Form: Genitive after the preposition

These prepositions are followed by a noun in the Genitive.

Case	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Plural
Genitiv with article	des Mannes	der Frau	des Kindes	der Leute

Examples:

wegen des schlechten Wetters
während der Pause
außerhalb des Hauses

Note the Genitive ending -s or -es for many masculine and neuter nouns: der Tisch → des Tisches, der Hund → des Hundes.

Use in the sentence

The preposition stands directly before its noun phrase:

Wir blieben trotz des Regens im Park. (We stayed in the park despite the rain.)
Wegen des Unfalls kam es zu Verzögerungen. (Because of the accident there were delays.)
Die Kinder dürfen während des Essens nicht aufstehen. (The children are not allowed to get up during the meal.)

A Genitive phrase can also be placed at the beginning of the sentence to highlight reason or time. The finite verb still stays in second position:

Während des Spiels blieb das Stadion ruhig. (During the match the stadium stayed calm.)

Genitive vs. other cases

In everyday spoken German many people use the Dative instead of the Genitive after some of these prepositions:

wegen dem Wetter
trotz dem Regen

However, in standard German and in exams you should use wegen and trotz with the Genitive: wegen des Wetters, trotz des Regens.

Typical mistakes and tips

Do not mix up während (time) with wegen (reason).
After anhand you normally have a noun phrase, not a clause: anhand der Ergebnisse, not anhand dass....
statt and anstelle have the same function; anstelle von sounds a bit more formal.

Short exercise

Make one sentence with each preposition:

wegen
trotz
während
außerhalb
anlässlich

Check that you use the correct Genitive article and the right noun ending.