Home

German grammar · A2

German Genitive Case: Possession and Its Prepositions

The genitive expresses possession and relationship — the equivalent of English of or 's. It is the case you meet last, it is used less in speech than in writing, and it is the clearest single marker of formal German.

The forms

The articles are des (masculine and neuter), der (feminine and plural). Masculine and neuter nouns also add -s or -es to the noun itself: das Auto des Mannes, der Titel des Buches.

Feminine and plural nouns take no ending: die Tasche der Frau, die Autos der Leute.

Word order differs from English. German puts the possessor after the thing possessed — literally the car of the man. With proper names, though, German does use an apostrophe-free -s in front: Annas Auto.

Genitive prepositions, and von in speech

Four prepositions take the genitive and are worth knowing because they appear constantly in written German: wegen (because of), während (during), trotz (despite) and statt (instead of). Wegen des Wetters, während der Woche, trotz des Regens.

In everyday speech, the genitive of possession is very often replaced by von plus the dative: das Auto von meinem Bruder rather than das Auto meines Bruders. Both are understood; the genitive is the more formal and is what a written exam text will use.

What you will actually hear

In everyday speech the genitive prepositions are frequently used with the dative instead: wegen dem Wetter rather than wegen des Wetters. You will hear this constantly, and from native speakers.

It is worth knowing for listening, and worth avoiding in writing. Standard written German — the German an exam marks you against — keeps the genitive after wegen, während and trotz, and a marker will treat the dative version as an error even though it is widespread.

To ask about possession, the question word is wessen: Wessen Auto ist das? It is formal and not common in speech, where people say Wem gehört das Auto? instead.

Examples

• Das ist das Haus meines Vaters.That is my father's house.
• Wegen des Regens bleiben wir zu Hause.Because of the rain we are staying home.

Mistakes to avoid

The errors are omitting the -s on a masculine or neuter noun, and putting the possessor before the thing possessed on the English pattern.

• ✗ Wegen das schlechte Wetter bleiben wir hier.✓ Wegen des schlechten Wetters bleiben wir hier.
• ✗ Das ist das Auto von mein Vater.✓ Das ist das Auto meines Vaters.
• ✗ Das Haus von der Lehrer.✓ Das Haus des Lehrers.
• ✗ Während die Unterricht darf man nicht telefonieren.✓ Während des Unterrichts darf man nicht telefonieren.
• ✗ Trotz dem Regen gehen wir raus.✓ Trotz des Regens gehen wir raus.

How this is tested in the exam

You will meet the genitive far more often in Lesen than you will need to produce it. Formal notices, articles and instructions at B1 are full of wegen, während and trotz, and those three carry the logic of a sentence — cause, time, concession — so misreading one changes what the text says.

Frequently asked questions

What are the German genitive articles?

Des for masculine and neuter, der for feminine and plural. Masculine and neuter nouns additionally take -s or -es on the noun itself.

Which German prepositions take the genitive?

wegen, während, trotz and statt are the common ones, along with innerhalb and außerhalb. They are frequent in written German.

Can I use von instead of the genitive?

In speech, usually yes: das Auto von meinem Bruder is normal German. In formal writing the genitive is expected.

How do you show possession with a name in German?

Add -s with no apostrophe and put it before the noun: Annas Auto, Peters Haus. This is the one case where the possessor comes first.