The German genitive case: showing possession
The fourth case explained: how to say the car of my father, the -s and -es endings on masculine and neuter nouns, and the von shortcut spoken German loves.
The genitive is the case of possession and belonging — the German equivalent of 's or of in English. das Auto meines Vaters (my father's car). It is the rarest of the four cases in speech, but it is everywhere in writing and fixed expressions.
The article changes
In the genitive, the articles become: des (masc./neut.), der (fem.), der (plural). das Haus der Frau (the woman's house), die Farbe des Autos (the colour of the car). Notice how the genitive often follows the noun it describes.
Masculine and neuter nouns add -s or -es
- Most masculine/neuter nouns add -s: des Vaters, des Kindes.
- One-syllable nouns usually take -es: des Mannes, des Hauses.
- Feminine and plural nouns add nothing: der Frau, der Kinder.
The spoken shortcut: von + dative
In everyday speech, Germans often replace the genitive with von + dative: das Auto von meinem Vater instead of das Auto meines Vaters. Both are correct; von feels more casual, the pure genitive more formal or written.
A few prepositions take the genitive: während (during), wegen (because of), trotz (despite), (an)statt (instead of). Learn these as a small set — in careful German they signal a polished register.
Frequently asked questions
How do I form the genitive in German?
Change the article to des/der and add -s or -es to masculine and neuter nouns (des Mannes). Feminine and plural nouns keep their form; the genitive phrase usually follows the noun it describes.
Can I avoid the genitive in spoken German?
Largely yes. Everyday speech often uses von + dative (das Buch von meinem Bruder). The pure genitive stays common in writing, formal speech and set prepositions like wegen and während.