Possessive Pronouns in German

This section explains Possessive Pronouns in German and includes foundation and higher tier examples.

Introduction to Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns are used to show ownership or possession. They replace a noun that has already been mentioned or is clear from the context. In English, possessive pronouns include words such as my, your, his, her, its, our, their, and your (formal). In German, possessive pronouns must agree in gender, case, and number with the noun they are replacing.

Forms of Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns in German are derived from the possessive adjectives (e.g., mein – my, dein – your) but are used instead of the noun. The possessive pronouns in German change according to the case (nominative, accusative, dative, or genitive) and the gender (masculine, feminine, neuter) of the noun they refer to.

Here is the table of possessive pronouns in the nominative case:

Here is the table of possessive pronouns in the nominative case:

Using Possessive Pronouns in Sentences

Possessive pronouns are used instead of nouns and follow the same gender, case, and number rules as the nouns they replace. They can be used to replace the possessive adjective + noun.

Examples:

Masculine Noun:

Das ist mein Hund.
(That is my dog.)

• Das ist mein.
  (That is mine.)

Feminine Noun:

Das ist meine Katze.
(That is my cat.)

• Das ist meine.
  (That is mine.)

Neuter Noun:

Das ist mein Auto.
(That is my car.)

• Das ist mein.
  (That is mine.)

Plural Noun:

Das sind meine Bücher.
(Those are my books.)

• Das sind meine.
  (Those are mine.)

Possessive Pronouns in Different Cases

Possessive pronouns change depending on the case (nominative, accusative, dative, genitive) and must agree with the gender and number of the noun.

Nominative Case

The nominative case is used for the subject of the sentence or when the pronoun is used as a predicate nominative.

Accusative Case

In the accusative case, the object is the direct object of the verb. Possessive pronouns will change based on the gender of the noun they replace.

Example Sentences in Accusative:

• Ich sehe meinen Freund.
  (I see my friend.)
• Hast du deine Hausaufgaben gemacht?
  (Have you done your homework?)

Dative Case

In the dative case, the possessive pronoun indicates the indirect object, which typically answers the question "to whom?" or "for whom?"

Example Sentences in Dative:

• Er gibt meinem Freund das Buch.
  (He gives my friend the book.)
• Ich habe deiner Schwester geholfen.
  (I helped your sister.)

Genitive Case (Less Common in Everyday Speech)

In the genitive case, the possessive pronoun indicates possession or ownership.

Key Vocabulary:

• das Pronomen = the pronoun
• das Possessivpronomen = the possessive pronoun
• Nominativ = nominative case
• Akkusativ = accusative case
• Dativ = dative case
• Genitiv = genitive case

Summary

• Possessive pronouns replace a noun and show ownership. They agree with the noun's gender, number, and case.
• Possessive pronouns must be used in place of a possessive adjective + noun. For example, mein Hund (my dog) becomes mein in a sentence like "Das ist mein" (That is mine).
• Possessive pronouns change in the accusative, dative, and genitive cases.
• In the nominative case, the possessive pronouns are: mein, dein, sein, ihr, unser, euer, ihr, Ihr.
• Possessive pronouns must also be adjusted for the gender (masculine, feminine, neuter) and number (singular, plural) of the noun they replace.

By understanding and practicing the use of possessive pronouns, you can make your German sentences more accurate and natural when expressing ownership or possession.