Brottin

ROADMAP · B1 · Understand familiar topics and express personal opinions

Genitiv: Artikel, Nomen, Namen

B1Genitive with articles and names
Das ist das Auto meines Vaters.

That is my father's car.

EXPLANATION

Use the genitive to show possession or a close relation: whose thing, whose name, whose period, or what is affected by a genitive preposition. Masculine and neuter nouns often change their ending, while plural genitive usually keeps the article der.

The genitive mainly shows belonging: des / der / des / der for the article, eines / einer for indefinite forms, and often -s or -es on masculine and neuter nouns. It is common in written German, especially in fixed expressions, with names, and after some prepositions such as wegen or während.

STRUCTURE

Artikel im Genitiv: des / der / des / der; indefinite: eines / einer

The article changes first; the noun may stay the same or take a genitive ending.

  • Ich sehe des Mannes Fahrrad.I see the man's bicycle.
  • Wir besuchen die Wohnung einer Freundin.We are visiting a friend's apartment.
  • Die Farbe des Autos gefällt mir.I like the car's color.
masculine/neuter noun + -s / -es; plural genitive article: der

Use the noun ending mainly with masculine and neuter singular nouns.

  • Ich kenne den Namen des Lehrers.I know the teacher's name.
  • Wir warten vor der Tür des Museums.We are waiting in front of the museum's door.
  • Die Namen der Studenten stehen auf der Liste.The students' names are on the list.
names in genitive: name + -s; after -s / -x / -z: apostrophe only

No apostrophe in normal names like Annas; apostrophe only after sound endings that would be hard to read with -s.

  • Annas Buch liegt hier.Anna's book is here.
  • Max' Auto steht draußen.Max's car is outside.
  • Peters Tasche ist schwer.Peter's bag is heavy.

OVERVIEW

Genitive articles and common forms

TypeMasculineNeuterFemininePlural
definite articledesdesderder
indefinite articleeineseineseiner—
typical noun ending-s / -es-s / -es——
exampledes Mannesdes Kindesder Mutterder Kinder

COMMON MISTAKES

  • Das ist Anna's Buch.

    Das ist Annas Buch.

    German names usually form the genitive with -s and no apostrophe: Annas Buch.

  • Wegen das Wetter bleiben wir drin.

    Wegen des Wetters bleiben wir drin.

    After wegen, German uses the genitive. In spoken language people often replace it with von + Dativ, but the genitive is standard here.

  • Max's Auto steht vor dem Haus.

    Max' Auto steht vor dem Haus.

    After names ending in -s, -x or -z, German uses only an apostrophe, not an extra -s.

  • Wem Tasche ist das?

    Wessen Tasche ist das?

    Wessen asks about possession. Forms like wem or wen ask about Dativ or Akkusativ, not ownership.

USAGE NOTES

  • In everyday speech, many speakers prefer von + Dativ: das Auto von meinem Vater. In formal writing, the genitive is often better.
  • The prepositions innerhalb, außerhalb, wegen, trotz and während normally take the genitive in standard German.
  • Not every masculine or neuter noun takes -es; short nouns often take -s: des Autos, des Tages, but des Mannes, des Kindes.
  • Plural genitive is usually easy: the article is der, and the noun often does not change: der Studenten, der Kinder, der Autos.

RELATED

Präpositionen mit Genitiv — EinführungGenitive prepositionsA2Dativ: Artikel und PersonalpronomenDative articles and pronounsA2N-DeklinationN-declensionB1Relativsätze: Nominativ, Akkusativ, DativRelative clauses: nominative, accusative, dativeB1
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