German Possessive Articles in the Accusative Case
In the accusative case, only the masculine possessive article changes: mein becomes meinen. This lesson shows you the possessive articles (mein, dein, sein ...) in the accusative and compares them with the nominative. It does not explain the basic rules of the accusative, so if you are unsure about that, review the accusative first.
The Possessive Articles
Each person has its own possessive article. It shows who something belongs to.
| Person | Possessive article | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ich | mein | my |
| du | dein | your |
| er | sein | his |
| sie | ihr | her |
| es | sein | its |
| wir | unser | our |
| ihr | euer | your (plural) |
| sie / Sie | ihr / Ihr | their / your (formal) |
The ending of the possessive article follows the noun (gender, case and number), just like the ending of ein or kein.
Singular: Nominativ vs. Akkusativ
The only difference between the nominative and the accusative is the masculine. It gets the ending -en. The feminine, the neuter and the plural stay the same.
| Nominativ | Akkusativ | |
|---|---|---|
| masculine | mein Bruder | meinen Bruder |
| feminine | meine Schwester | meine Schwester |
| neuter | mein Kind | mein Kind |
All Persons: Masculine Accusative
| Person | Nominativ (m) | Akkusativ (m) |
|---|---|---|
| ich | mein Hund | meinen Hund |
| du | dein Hund | deinen Hund |
| er / es | sein Hund | seinen Hund |
| sie | ihr Hund | ihren Hund |
| wir | unser Hund | unseren Hund |
| ihr | euer Hund | euren Hund |
| sie / Sie | ihr / Ihr Hund | ihren / Ihren Hund |
Notice that euer loses its e when an ending is added: euren Hund, eure Katze.
Example Sentences
- Ich liebe meinen Hund. (masculine)
- Er besucht seine Oma. (feminine)
- Sie hat ihr Handy vergessen. (neuter)
- Kennst du unseren Lehrer? (masculine)
- Wir treffen euren Bruder morgen. (masculine)
Plural
In the plural the possessive article has the ending -e in both the nominative and the accusative: meine Freunde, deine Bücher, seine Schlüssel. There is no difference between the two cases.
- Sie sucht ihre Kinder.
- Ich habe meine Schlüssel verloren.
- Er besucht seine Eltern.
Practise in the Comments
The video has two questions that you can answer in the comment section: one with a singular noun and one with a plural noun, both in the accusative. Try it, because writing your own sentences is the best way to learn the endings.
Bonus Tip
The video ends with a bonus tip. Watch until the end to see it.
What to Learn Next
Next, learn the dative in German Possessive Articles in the Dative Case. To decide between the cases, read Akkusativ or Dativ? German Cases Explained. For the difference between possessive articles and pronouns, see Possessive Power: Articles vs. Pronouns in German.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the possessive articles in the accusative?
For masculine nouns: meinen, deinen, seinen, ihren, unseren, euren, ihren / Ihren. Feminine, neuter and plural nouns keep the nominative forms: meine, mein, meine.
Which gender changes in the accusative?
Only the masculine changes. Mein Bruder becomes meinen Bruder.
What is the plural ending of possessive articles in the accusative?
-e, the same as in the nominative: meine Freunde, deine Bücher, seine Schlüssel.
Why does euer become eure or euren?
When an ending is added, euer loses the e in the middle: eure Katze, euren Hund.
How do I know which possessive article to use?
First decide who owns something (ich = mein, du = dein and so on). Then add the ending for the case, gender and number of the noun that is owned.
Want to practise possessive articles with clear explanations and exercises? Our A2 German course covers them step by step.
