German Genitive Prepositions: Trotz and Wegen
Wegen gives a reason, trotz gives a counter-reason, and both always take the genitive. This lesson explains what they mean and how to use them with plenty of examples, and it ends with two tips on how to say the same thing with weil, deshalb, obwohl and trotzdem. The video is taught entirely in German, and this post gives you the key points in English.
What Are Genitive Prepositions?
Some German prepositions always go with the genitive case. Wegen and trotz are two of them. That means the article after the preposition changes to the genitive form: des for masculine and neuter, der for feminine and plural, and eines or einer with the indefinite article. Masculine and neuter nouns usually get -s or -es. If you need a refresher, read The German Genitive: Articles and Examples and The Genitive -s or -es: Which Ending?.
wegen: The Reason
Wegen names a reason: why something happens or why someone does something, or why something does not happen. In the first example, the bad weather is the reason why the man stays at home.
- Wegen des schlechten Wetters bleibt er heute zu Hause. (Because of the bad weather he stays at home today.)
- Ich mag das Haus wegen der tollen Lage. (I like the house because of the great location.)
- Wegen eines Staus hat er seinen Flug verpasst. (Because of a traffic jam he missed his flight.)
- Wegen der hohen Kosten muss er sein Haus verkaufen. (Because of the high costs he has to sell his house.)
trotz: The Counter-Reason
Trotz names a Gegengrund, a reason that speaks against what someone does or what happens. It means despite or in spite of. In the first example, the man should not go out in the bad weather, but he does.
- Trotz des schlechten Wetters bleibt er nicht zu Hause. (Despite the bad weather he does not stay at home.)
- Trotz des strikten Rauchverbots raucht sie genüsslich eine Zigarette. (Despite the strict smoking ban she smokes a cigarette with pleasure.)
- Trotz der komplizierten Grammatik lernt sie weiter Deutsch. (Despite the complicated grammar she keeps learning German.)
- Er geht trotz starker Kopfschmerzen arbeiten. (He goes to work despite strong headaches.)
The Genitive Forms in the Examples
All of the examples above use the genitive. Look at how the article and the adjective change:
| Gender | wegen | trotz |
|---|---|---|
| neuter | wegen des schlechten Wetters | trotz des strikten Rauchverbots |
| masculine | wegen eines Staus | trotz des Regens |
| feminine | wegen der tollen Lage | trotz der komplizierten Grammatik |
| plural | wegen der hohen Kosten | trotz starker Kopfschmerzen (no article) |
Without an article, the plural adjective ends in -er: trotz starker Kopfschmerzen. Learn more in German Adjective Endings in the Genitive Case.
Tip 1: Say wegen with weil or deshalb
You can express the reason in other ways. Compare the three sentences, which all mean the same thing:
- With the preposition wegen: Wegen einer Erkältung bleibt er heute zu Hause.
- With the subordinate conjunction weil: Weil er erkältet ist, bleibt er heute zu Hause.
- With the adverb deshalb: Er ist erkältet. Deshalb bleibt er heute zu Hause.
Wegen and weil name the reason (wegen einer Erkältung, weil er erkältet ist). Deshalb names the consequence (he stays at home).
Tip 2: Say trotz with obwohl or trotzdem
In the same way, you can express the counter-reason with other words:
- With the preposition trotz: Trotz vieler Fehler hat er die Prüfung bestanden.
- With the subordinate conjunction obwohl: Obwohl er viele Fehler gemacht hat, hat er die Prüfung bestanden.
- With the adverb trotzdem: Er hat viele Fehler gemacht. Trotzdem hat er die Prüfung bestanden.
Trotz and obwohl name the counter-reason (trotz vieler Fehler, obwohl er viele Fehler gemacht hat). Trotzdem names the result (he passed the exam). Read more in How to express a contradiction in German.
What About the Dative?
You may have heard that people use the dative after wegen and trotz. Is that correct? The video answers: the dative is not really wrong. Language changes. In spoken German, especially in southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland, many people use the dative with wegen and trotz. In written German, however, the genitive is nicer and more elegant, so use it when you write.
More Genitive Prepositions
There are more prepositions with the genitive, for example innerhalb and außerhalb. See German Genitive Prepositions: innerhalb & außerhalb.
Frequently Asked Questions
What case comes after wegen and trotz?
The genitive. Both prepositions are followed by a noun in the genitive: wegen des schlechten Wetters, trotz der komplizierten Grammatik.
What is the difference between wegen and trotz?
Wegen names the reason, trotz names a counter-reason, something that speaks against what happens.
How can I say wegen and trotz with a subordinate clause?
Use weil for wegen and obwohl for trotz: Weil er erkältet ist, bleibt er zu Hause. Obwohl er viele Fehler gemacht hat, hat er die Prüfung bestanden.
What is the difference between weil and deshalb?
Weil names the reason, deshalb names the consequence: Er ist erkältet. Deshalb bleibt er heute zu Hause. The same is true for obwohl (counter-reason) and trotzdem (result).
Can I use the dative after wegen and trotz?
In spoken German you will often hear the dative, especially in southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and it is not really wrong. In writing, the genitive is more elegant.
Ready for the next level of German grammar? Our B1 German course takes you step by step through the genitive and much more.
