Genitive: Possession and Names
Learn how the German genitive expresses possession and relationships. Practise articles, noun endings, names, and rewriting von + dative.
Explanation
What does the genitive express?
The genitive answers **wessen?** (“whose?”) and often links two nouns:
> Die Schlüssel **des Hausmeisters** liegen hier.
Articles and endings
| Gender / number | definite | indefinite | possessive determiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| masculine | des Bruders | eines Bruders | meines Bruders |
| neuter | des Hotels | eines Hotels | unseres Hotels |
| feminine | der Kollegin | einer Kollegin | seiner Kollegin |
| plural | der Gäste | - | ihrer Gäste |
Masculine and neuter singular nouns usually add **-s** or **-es**. **-es** is common with short one-syllable nouns and after s-sounds: **des Buches, des Platzes**. Many longer nouns take **-s**: **des Computers**. Feminine and plural nouns normally have no extra ending.
N-declension keeps its special ending: **der Name des Kunden**, **die Nummer des Kollegen**.
Names
A name normally comes before the noun and takes **-s**, without an article: **Leas Fahrrad, Omars Wohnung**. If the name ends in **-s, -ß, -x**, or **-z**, add only an apostrophe: **Felix' Rucksack, Ines' Büro**.
Genitive or von + dative?
A genitive phrase can often be replaced by **von + dative**:
> die Entscheidung der Chefin = die Entscheidung von der Chefin
The genitive is common in writing and more formal language; **von + dative** is often natural in conversation. With names, the preceding form is especially common: **Marias Idee**.
Exercises
- Complete the genitive phrase. Write the article or possessive determiner and the noun with the correct ending. (11)
- Rewrite the complete sentence. Replace von + dative with a genitive phrase or form the usual possessive with a name. (11)
- Arrange the tokens into a correct sentence. Pay attention to the position of the genitive phrase or name. (11)
B1 · German · Grammar