The German Genitive Case: Rules and Examples
The Genitiv: not so important? Falsch! The Genitiv is not going anywhere, and if you want to understand, read, write and speak proper German, you need it. In this B1 lesson you learn what the Genitiv does, how to build it, the genitive articles, when to add -s or -es, and how Germans really talk in everyday life.
What Is the Genitiv For?
You already know the other cases: the Nominativ for the subject, the Akkusativ for the direct object and the Dativ for the indirect object (mostly people and animals). The Genitiv is mostly an attribute: it gives more information about a noun. In very few words you say more about another noun. It always shows possession of something or someone, the answer to Wessen? (whose?).
It is less common in spoken German but very common in written German. More on this in the bonus tip below.
This lesson does not cover genitive prepositions or genitive possessive articles. For genitive prepositions, see German Genitive Prepositions: trotz and wegen.
Names and the Apostrophe
You already know the Genitiv from A1 with names:
- Das ist Tinas Handy. That is Tina's mobile phone.
- Hast du Roberts Tasche gesehen? Did you see Robert's bag?
- Sind das Hans' Schuhe? Are these Hans's shoes?
German does not use an apostrophe before the s like English does. The only exception: names ending in an s-sound, such as Hans. There you write an apostrophe and no additional s. This is the only situation where you see an apostrophe with the Genitiv. See also German Apostrophe Rules.
The Word Order: The Main Thing First
English: The teacher's car is old. A direct translation like Der Lehrers Auto ist alt is completely wrong. In German you start with the main thing (here the car) and then follow with the owner in the Genitiv, including the genitive article:
- Das Auto des Lehrers ist alt. The teacher's car is old.
- die Tasche der Frau (the woman's bag)
- der Hund des Mannes (the man's dog)
In English the owner comes first, in German the thing (or animal, or person) comes first, and then the owner.
Genitive Articles
| masculine | neuter | feminine | plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| definite | des | des | der | der |
| indefinite | eines | eines | einer | (no article) |
Masculine and neuter are identical, which makes them easy to remember. The feminine genitive is the same as the Dativ, but you will not confuse them. The plural never has an indefinite article, in any case. For more detail see The German Genitive Articles and Examples.
Noun Endings in the Genitiv
Nouns usually do not change their endings in different cases. The exception you know is the Dativ plural with an extra -n (mit lustigen Kindern, mit billigen Computern). In the Genitiv, only masculine and neuter nouns change: they add -s or -es. Feminine and plural nouns stay the same (der SchĂŒlerin, der Menschen).
When -s and When -es?
- Nouns ending in an s-sound add -es, for pronunciation reasons: das Haus, des Hauses; der Kurs, des Kurses; der FuĂ, des FuĂes; der Satz, des Satzes. This is the same idea as the apostrophe with names ending in s.
- Short nouns with one syllable can take both: der Tag, des Tags / des Tages; das Buch, des Buchs / des Buches; das Bild, des Bilds / des Bildes; der Mann, des Manns / des Mannes. Both are correct, but with -es it is easier to pronounce and it is the more common form.
- Longer nouns take only -s: der Lehrer, des Lehrers; das Auto, des Autos; der Vogel, des Vogels. There is no need for an extra e.
Tip if you are unsure: add -es to nouns ending in an s-sound and to short one-syllable nouns. For any other masculine or neuter noun, just add -s.
Example Sentences
Masculine
- Ich mag den Rucksack des Mannes. I like the man's backpack.
- Die Farbe des Pullovers ist schön. The colour of the sweater is beautiful.
Neuter
- Lea putzt das Display des Handys. Lea is cleaning the screen of the mobile phone. (Display is the common word for small screens such as phones.)
- Ich spreche mit der Mutter des MĂ€dchens. I am talking to the girl's mother.
Feminine
- Hast du die E-Mail der Chefin gelesen? Did you read the female boss's email?
- Ich helfe dem Kind einer Freundin. I am helping a friend's child.
Plural
- Der Zugbegleiter kontrolliert die Tickets der FahrgÀste. The conductor checks the passengers' tickets.
- Kennst du die Namen der Kinder? Do you know the children's names?
Good to know
- The Genitiv does not depend on the verb. In Ich mag den Rucksack des Mannes the verb mögen takes the Akkusativ (den Rucksack), but des Mannes only gives more information about the noun before it. The noun can be in any case: after a preposition like mit (Dativ) or a Dativ verb like helfen, the genitive attribute still stays in the Genitiv.
- Most examples use the definite article, because the Genitiv is mostly used for a specific item or person. Ich helfe dem Kind einer Freundin means any friend. Ich helfe dem Kind der Freundin means one specific friend that the other person should know.
- Zugbegleiter is the modern word for the person who checks tickets on a train. Schaffner is the older word that many speakers still use.
Bonus Tip: Genitiv in Spoken German
In everyday spoken German, the Genitiv is often replaced by von + Dativ:
- Der Laptop des Lehrers ist langsam. Perfectly correct, but a bit formal when talking to friends.
- Der Laptop vom Lehrer ist langsam. More natural in speech (vom = von dem).
- Die QualitÀt der Kurse ist ausgezeichnet. Genitiv.
- Die QualitÀt von den Kursen ist ausgezeichnet. What you would rather hear in spoken German, and closer to the English "quality of the courses".
So you will not hear the Genitiv very often in speech, but you need it for reading and writing.
What to Learn Next
Go deeper into the Genitiv with The German Genitive Articles and Examples, The Genitive -s or -es in German, German Adjective Endings in the Genitive Case and German Genitive Prepositions: trotz and wegen. If you need a refresher on the other cases, read What Is Nominativ? and What Is Akkusativ?.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Genitiv used for in German?
The Genitiv gives more information about a noun and mainly shows possession. It answers the question Wessen?
What is the word order for the Genitiv?
The main thing comes first, then the owner in the Genitiv: Das Auto des Lehrers. This is the opposite of the English teacher's car.
Which genitive articles do I need?
Masculine and neuter: des and eines. Feminine: der and einer. Plural: der, and the plural has no indefinite article.
When do I add -s and when -es?
Add -es to nouns ending in an s-sound (des Hauses) and usually to short one-syllable nouns (des Tages). Longer masculine and neuter nouns take only -s (des Lehrers).
Do Germans really use the Genitiv when speaking?
Less often. In spoken German von + Dativ often replaces it, for example Der Laptop vom Lehrer. In writing the Genitiv is very common.
Want to master the Genitiv and all other B1 topics? Our B1 German online course explains each rule step by step with clear examples.
