Possessive Pronouns: meiner, meine, meins
Learn how German possessive pronouns replace a noun that is already known. Practise forms based on the owner, case, gender, and number.
Explanation
Possessive pronouns replace a noun
A **possessive article** comes before a noun:
- Das ist **mein Rucksack**.
- Wo ist **deine Fahrkarte**?
A **possessive pronoun** stands alone and replaces the noun when the reference is clear:
- Ist das dein Rucksack? - Ja, das ist **meiner**.
- Wo ist deine Fahrkarte? - **Meine** ist in der Tasche.
The stem identifies the owner: **mein-** (ich), **dein-** (du), **sein-** (er/es), **ihr-** (sie = she), **unser-** (wir), **euer-** (ihr), **ihr-** (sie = they), and **Ihr-** (formal Sie = you). The ending agrees with the case, gender, and number of the omitted noun.
Forms with mein-
| Case | masculine | feminine | neuter | plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | meiner | meine | meines (often: meins) | meine |
| accusative | meinen | meine | meines (often: meins) | meine |
| dative | meinem | meiner | meinem | meinen |
| genitive (rare) | meines | meiner | meines | meiner |
At A2, active practice focuses on the nominative, accusative, and dative. The genitive row is included for recognition because stand-alone genitive forms are rare in everyday German.
How to choose the form
1. Identify the owner and choose the stem.
2. Identify the omitted noun and its gender or plural form.
3. Determine the case from the sentence role or preposition.
4. Add the correct ending.
- **Welcher Schirm gehört dir?** - Der schwarze ist **meiner**. (nominative masculine)
- **Welche Tasche nimmst du?** - Ich nehme **meine**. (accusative feminine)
- **Mit welchem Fahrrad fährst du?** - Mit **meinem**. (dative neuter)
- **Sind das eure Handschuhe?** - Ja, das sind **unsere**. (nominative plural)
With **euer-**, the second e is normally dropped before an ending: **eurer, eure, eures, eurem**. Formal **Ihr-** is capitalized: **Ist das Ihrer?**
Exercises
- Choose the form that fits. First decide whether a noun follows or whether the form replaces the noun. (11)
- Complete the possessive pronoun. Check the owner, case, gender, and number of the omitted noun. (11)
- Place the forms from the word bank into the correct sentences. Use each form exactly once. (6)
- Use the situation to write a complete question with a possessive pronoun. (11)
A2 · German · Grammar