Possessives in German show ownership or relationships and are essential for making connections between people and things in sentences. They are divided into two main categories:
- Possessive Adjectives modify nouns and agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they describe.
- Possessive Pronouns replace nouns and also agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they stand for.
Possessives are split into possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns.
Possessive Adjectives
Possessive adjectives link the owner to the owned object and adjust their endings to match the gender, number, and case of the noun they modify. The base forms are derived from personal pronouns:
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Person | mein- | unser- |
| 2nd Person | dein- | euer- |
| 3rd Person | sein- / ihr- / sein- | ihr- |
For example:
- mein Vater (my father) – masculine, nominative, singular
- meine Mutter (my mother) – feminine, nominative, singular
- mein Kind (my child) – neuter, nominative, singular
- meine Freunde (my friends) – plural
The root for 'we' is 'unser-'.
3rd person singular possessives are sein- (his/its), ihr- (her), sein- (its).
Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns replace the noun entirely and reflect ownership while matching the noun’s gender, number, and case. They often remove the adjectival ending in the nominative and accusative neuter singular and take specific endings elsewhere.
Example for "mein/meine" (my):
| Case | Masc. | Fem. | Neut. | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | mein | meine | mein | meine |
| Accusative | meinen | meine | mein | meine |
| Dative | meinem | meiner | meinem | meinen |
| Genitive | meines | meiner | meines | meiner |
Example:
- Das ist mein Buch. (That is my book.) – Pronoun as noun modifier
- Das Buch ist meins. (The book is mine.) – Pronoun replaces noun
Yes, possessive pronouns adapt to case, gender, and number.
They take specific endings to match case, gender, and number.
Conclusion
German possessives are vital for expressing relationships and ownership. Both possessive adjectives and pronouns must agree with the noun in gender, number, and case, ensuring precise and flexible communication.
- Possessives show ownership and change with gender, number, and case.
- Adjectives modify nouns; pronouns replace them.
- Mastery of possessives connects you to everyday German contexts.
Possessive adjectives agree with the noun's gender, number, and case.
They derive from personal pronouns.
Yes, when the noun is implied, they can stand alone.