What is Genitive Case?
The genitive case shows possession or a relationship between two nouns in German — it is the possessive case. While English uses the apostrophe 's' for possession ('John's book'), German uses genitive case endings and is less common in modern spoken German.
The genitive case is the possessive case in German. It answers the question 'Whose?' and shows that one noun belongs to or is associated with another.
- •John's book
- •The car's wheel
- •My friend's house
- •das Buch des Mannes
- •das Rad des Autos
- •das Haus meines Freundes
Step-by-step worked examples
Das Buch des Mannes ist interessant. (The book of the man is interesting.) — What case is 'Mannes'?
des Mannes = possessive The book belongs to the man Answer: Genitive case
Die Farbe des Autos ist rot. (The color of the car is red.) — Identify genitive.
des Autos = possessive The color belongs to the car Answer: Genitive case
Das Haus meiner Freundin ist groß. (The house of my friend (female) is large.) — Which is genitive?
meiner Freundin = possessive The house belongs to the friend Answer: Genitive case
Flashcards
Quick quiz
Q1.Which word is genitive in 'Das Auto des Lehrers'?
Q2.What question does genitive answer?
Q3.The genitive case is used to show…
Q4.What is the genitive article for 'die' nouns?
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Common mistakes
Genitive is very common in modern spoken German. — Correct: In speech, 'von + dative' is more common than genitive (das Buch von dem Mann).
All possessives use genitive. — Correct: Possessive pronouns (mein, dein, sein, ihr) also show possession but are different.
Genitive has the same article for all genders. — Correct: Masculine is 'des', feminine is 'der', neuter is 'des', plural is 'der'.
Genitive is only for nouns. — Correct: Possessive adjectives and pronouns also show genitive relationships.
FAQ
What is genitive case in German?
The possessive case — shows that one noun belongs to or is associated with another.
What question does genitive answer?
Wessen? (Whose?) — it identifies the possessor.
How is genitive used in sentences?
It shows possession: 'Das Buch des Mannes.' (The man's book.)
Is genitive common in spoken German?
Less so — Germans often use 'von + dative' instead (das Buch vom Mann).