Possessive pronouns show who owns or is associated with something, and they agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. This guide covers the key forms and how to use them.
Key Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns in German change to match the gender, number, and case of the noun they refer to, and they come in two main types: possessive determiners (which go before a noun) and possessive pronouns (which replace a noun). Below are the possessive determiners for mein (my), dein (your informal), sein (his), ihr (her/their), unser (our), and euer (your plural informal).
Possessive Determiners
| Gender/Number | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | mein | meine | mein | meine | |
| Accusative | meinen | meine | mein | meine | |
| Dative | meinem | meiner | meinem | meinen | |
| Genitive | meines | meiner | meines | meiner |
| German Word | English Translation | |
|---|---|---|
| 🧥 mein Mantel | my coat | |
| 🧣 dein Schal | your scarf (singular) | |
| 🧢 sein Hut | his hat | |
| 🧤 ihr Handschuhe | her gloves | |
| 🧳 unser Koffer | our suitcase | |
| 🧥 euer Mantel | your coat (plural) | |
| 🧢 ihr Hut | their hat | |
| 🧓 Ihr Schal | your scarf (formal) |
Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns replace the noun entirely and show ownership; they also change form for gender, number, and case. Here are the corresponding possessive pronouns for mein (my) in the nominative, accusative, dative, and genitive cases.
| Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | meiner | meine | meins | meine | |
| Accusative | meinen | meine | meins | meine | |
| Dative | meinem | meiner | meinem | meinen | |
| Genitive | meines | meiner | meines | meiner |
| German Word | English Translation | |
|---|---|---|
| 🧥 Der Mantel ist mein. | The coat is mine. | |
| 🧣 Der Schal ist dein. | The scarf is yours. | |
| 🧢 Der Hut ist sein. | The hat is his. | |
| 🧤 Die Handschuhe sind ihre. | The gloves are hers. | |
| 🧳 Der Koffer ist unser. | The suitcase is ours. | |
| 🧥 Der Mantel ist euer. | The coat is yours. | |
| 🧢 Der Hut ist ihr. | The hat is theirs. | |
| 🧣 Der Schal ist Ihr. | The scarf is yours. (formal) |
Usage
Use possessive determiners when you want to specify ownership before a noun, and use possessive pronouns when you want to replace the noun and avoid repetition. Always make sure the ending matches the gender, number, and case of the noun.
Examples
Can I see your car?
| German Sentence | English Translation | |
|---|---|---|
| 🛫 Wir haben unseren Koffer schon eingecheckt. | We have already checked in our suitcase. | |
| 🧳 Sie sucht ihren Koffer am Gepäckband. | She is looking for her suitcase at the baggage claim. | |
| 🧍♂️ Er hat seinen Pass auf dem Flughafen liegen lassen. | He left his passport at the airport. | |
| 🧑✈️ Der Pilot zeigt unserem Hund seinen Ausweis. | The pilot shows our dog his ID. | |
| 🐶 Unser Hund trägt sein neues Halstuch. | Our dog is wearing his new bandana. | |
| 🧳 Habt ihr eure Tickets schon ausgedruckt? | Have you already printed your tickets? | |
| 🧍 Ich nehme meinen Rucksack mit an Bord. | I am taking my backpack on board. | |
| 🧑🦽 Sie helfen ihrem Freund mit dem Gepäck. | They are helping their friend with the luggage. |
Summary
Possessive pronouns consistently show who owns something and must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they modify or replace. Practice switching between possessive determiners and possessive pronouns to become fluent in talking about possession.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025