Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn German possessive articles in the nominative case, including 'mein,' 'dein,' and others. Understand how these forms change based on the gender and plurality of the noun. This introduction covers their use with masculine, feminine, neutral, and plural nouns and explains the formal possessive 'Ihr.' Ideal for A1 level learners aiming to express ownership in simple sentences correctly.
  1. The possessive article refers to the possessing person and agrees with the noun in gender, number, and case.
  2. The form changes depending on the case – here, the nominative is shown.
Person (Person)Maskulin / Neutral (Masculine / Neutral)Feminin (Feminine)Plural (Plural)
Ichmeinmeinemeine
Dudeindeinedeine
Er / Esseinseineseine
Sie (singular)ihrihreihre
Wirunserunsereunsere
Ihreuereureeure
Sie (plural)ihrihreihre

Exceptions!

  1. The polite form Ihr / Ihre / Ihre is always capitalised, regardless of gender.

Exercise 1: Possessivartikel - Nominativ

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

Ihre, Eure, Ihr, Unsere, Euer, Sein, Mein

1. Sie:
(Singular) : ... Großeltern kommen aus Deutschland.
(Their grandparents come from Germany.)
2. Ihr:
: ... Mutter heißt Caitlin.
(Your mother is called Caitlin.)
3. Ihr:
: ... Vater kommt aus Barcelona.
(Your father comes from Barcelona.)
4. Wir:
: ... Mutter wohnt in Berlin.
(Our mother lives in Berlin.)
5. Sie:
(höfliche Anrede) : ... Vater ist hier.
(Your father is here.)
6. Er:
: ... Bruder ist verheiratet.
(His brother is married.)
7. Sie:
: ... Großmutter ist alt.
(Your grandmother is old.)
8. Ich:
: ... Name ist Tom.
(My name is Tom.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. ___ Vater arbeitet in einer großen Firma.

(___ father works in a big company.)

2. ___ Schwester kauft oft Bücher im Buchladen.

(___ sister often buys books at the bookstore.)

3. ___ Hund spielt gern im Garten.

(___ dog likes to play in the garden.)

4. ___ Haus ist sehr schön und groß.

(___ house is very beautiful and big.)

5. ___ Vater ist Lehrer an einer Schule.

(___ father is a teacher at a school.)

6. ___ Mutter kauft jeden Samstag frisches Gemüse.

(___ mother buys fresh vegetables every Saturday.)

Understanding Possessive Articles in the Nominative Case

This lesson introduces the German possessive articles (Possessivartikel) in the nominative case, essential for expressing ownership or relationships clearly. You will learn how forms like mein (my), dein (your), and others change according to the gender and number of the noun they describe.

Key Forms Based on Person and Gender

Possessive articles agree with the noun in gender and plurality:

  • For masculine and neutral nouns, forms include mein, dein, sein, etc.
  • For feminine and plural nouns, the endings change to meine, deine, seine, and so on.

For example, mein Vater (my father – masculine) versus meine Schwester (my sister – feminine).

The Nominative Case in Focus

This lesson focuses on the nominative case, used primarily for the subject of a sentence. Learning these forms lays a strong foundation for expressing ownership in simple sentences and questions.

Formal Address in Possessive Articles

The formal possessive article Ihr (your, formal) is always capitalized regardless of the gender of the noun, which differs from the informal forms.

Practical Examples

  • Mein Vater arbeitet in einer großen Firma.
  • Deine Schwester kauft oft Bücher.
  • Unser Hund spielt gern im Garten.

Noticeable Differences to English

In German, possessive articles must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they modify, unlike English where 'my,' 'your,' etc., remain constant. For instance, 'my' translates to mein for masculine and neutral nouns, but changes to meine for feminine and plural nouns in the nominative case.

Useful Phrases:

  • Mein Auto (my car - neuter)
  • Meine Katze (my cat - feminine)
  • Deine Bücher (your books - plural)

Understanding these distinctions will help you form grammatically correct and natural sentences in German.

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Sophie Schmidt

International Administration Management

Würzburger Dolmetscherschule

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Last Updated:

Tuesday, 15/07/2025 04:57