German Possessive Articles in the Dative Case
In the dative case, every possessive article gets an ending: meinem, meiner, meinen. This lesson shows you the possessive articles (mein, dein, sein ...) in the dative case and compares them with the nominative. It does not explain the basic rules of the dative, so if you need those first, read the lesson at the end of this page.
Singular: Nominativ vs. Dativ
In the dative, masculine and neuter nouns get -em, feminine nouns get -er.
| Nominativ | Dativ | |
|---|---|---|
| masculine | mein Bruder | meinem Bruder |
| feminine | meine Schwester | meiner Schwester |
| neuter | mein Kind | meinem Kind |
All Persons in the Dative
| Person | masculine / neuter | feminine | plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| ich | meinem | meiner | meinen |
| du | deinem | deiner | deinen |
| er / es | seinem | seiner | seinen |
| sie | ihrem | ihrer | ihren |
| wir | unserem | unserer | unseren |
| ihr | eurem | eurer | euren |
| sie / Sie | ihrem / Ihrem | ihrer / Ihrer | ihren / Ihren |
Notice that euer loses its e: eurem, eurer, euren.
Example Sentences: Singular
- Ich helfe meinem Bruder. (masculine)
- Er schenkt seiner Mutter Blumen. (feminine)
- Sie gibt ihrem Kind ein Buch. (neuter)
- Ich gehe mit meinem Freund ins Kino. (after the preposition mit)
Plural
In the dative plural, the possessive article ends in -en, and the noun usually gets an extra -n: meine Freunde ā†’ mit meinen Freunden.
- Wir danken unseren Lehrern.
- Sie wohnt bei ihren Eltern.
- Er hilft seinen Kindern.
Homework
The video has three questions that you can answer in the comment section using the dative case. Try writing your answers with a possessive article, because that is the fastest 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
Review the accusative forms in German Possessive Articles in the Accusative Case. To practise the verbs that need the dative, see All 14 German Dative Verbs for A1 Level, and for the prepositions, German Dative Prepositions: Listening Practice. If you are unsure about the cases, start with Akkusativ or Dativ? German Cases Explained.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the possessive articles in the dative?
For masculine and neuter nouns: meinem, deinem, seinem, ihrem, unserem, eurem. For feminine nouns: meiner, deiner, seiner, ihrer, unserer, eurer. For plural nouns: meinen, deinen, seinen, ihren, unseren, euren.
Which ending do feminine nouns get in the dative?
-er: meiner Schwester, seiner Mutter, ihrer Freundin.
Why is there an extra -n on plural nouns in the dative?
In the dative plural, nouns usually add -n: mit meinen Freunden, bei ihren Eltern. Nouns that already end in -n do not add another one.
Which prepositions and verbs need the dative?
Prepositions such as aus, bei, mit, nach, seit, von and zu, and verbs such as helfen, gefallen, gehƶren, danken and schenken.
What is the difference between the accusative and the dative forms?
In the accusative only the masculine changes (meinen), while in the dative all genders and the plural have their own endings.
Want to master the dative with clear explanations and exercises? Our A2 German course covers it step by step.
