German Possessive Articles: A Comprehensive Guide
Possessive articles in German (called Possessivartikel or Possessivpronomen in their article form) are used to show ownership—like "my," "your," or "their" in English. They’re essential for talking about what belongs to whom, and they change based on the gender (masculine, feminine, neuter), number (singular, plural), and case (nominative, accusative, dative, genitive) of the noun they describe. This guide explains possessive articles in detail—how they work, their forms in nominative, accusative, and dative cases (the most common for beginners), and plenty of examples.
What Are Possessive Articles?
Possessive articles are words that indicate possession and act like articles (e.g., "the" or "a") before a noun. In German, they agree with the noun they modify, not just the person who owns it. For example:
- English: "my book" (same "my" for all nouns).
- German: mein Buch (neuter), meine Tasche (feminine)—"my" changes.
Key Features
- Owner: Each pronoun (ich, du, er, etc.) has its own possessive form (mein, dein, sein, etc.).
- Noun Agreement: The ending changes based on the noun’s gender, number, and case.
- No Standalone Use: These are articles, not pronouns—they always come with a noun (unlike meins—a possessive pronoun, covered later).
Possessive Articles in Nominative Case
The nominative case is used for the subject—the person or thing doing the action. Here’s how possessive articles look in nominative:
Full Chart (Nominative)
| Owner | Masc. (der) | Fem. (die) | Neut. (das) | Plural (die) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ich (my) | mein | meine | mein | meine |
| du (your, inf.) | dein | deine | dein | deine |
| er (his) | sein | seine | sein | seine |
| sie (her) | ihr | ihre | ihr | ihre |
| es (its) | sein | seine | sein | seine |
| wir (our) | unser | unsere | unser | unsere |
| ihr (your, pl.) | euer | eure | euer | eure |
| sie (their) | ihr | ihre | ihr | ihre |
| Sie (your, form.) | Ihr | Ihre | Ihr | Ihre |
Rules
- Masculine/Neuter: Base form (mein, dein, sein, etc.).
- Feminine/Plural: Add -e (meine, deine, seine, etc.).
- Euer: Drops the internal -e- before adding -e (euer → eure).
Examples (Nominative)
- Mein Vater ist groß. (My father is tall.) – Masculine
- Meine Mutter kocht. (My mother cooks.) – Feminine
- Mein Haus ist neu. (My house is new.) – Neuter
- Meine Freunde kommen. (My friends come.) – Plural
- Dein Hund bellt. (Your dog barks.) – Masculine
- Deine Schwester singt. (Your sister sings.) – Feminine
- Dein Auto fährt. (Your car drives.) – Neuter
- Deine Bücher liegen hier. (Your books are here.) – Plural
- Sein Bruder spielt. (His brother plays.) – Masculine
- Ihre Katze schläft. (Her cat sleeps.) – Feminine
- Unser Garten blüht. (Our garden blooms.) – Masculine
- Eure Lehrerin redet. (Your teacher talks.) – Feminine
Possessive Articles in Accusative Case
The accusative case is for the direct object—the thing or person receiving the action. Possessive articles adjust their endings here too.
Full Chart (Accusative)
| Owner | Masc. (den) | Fem. (die) | Neut. (das) | Plural (die) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ich (my) | meinen | meine | mein | meine |
| du (your, inf.) | deinen | deine | dein | deine |
| er (his) | seinen | seine | sein | seine |
| sie (her) | ihren | ihre | ihr | ihre |
| es (its) | seinen | seine | sein | seine |
| wir (our) | unseren | unsere | unser | unsere |
| ihr (your, pl.) | euren | eure | euer | eure |
| sie (their) | ihren | ihre | ihr | ihre |
| Sie (your, form.) | Ihren | Ihre | Ihr | Ihre |
Rules
- Masculine: Add -en (mein → meinen).
- Feminine/Plural: Same as nominative (meine, deine, etc.).
- Neuter: Same as nominative (mein, dein, etc.).
- Euer: Drops -e- before adding -en (euer → euren) or stays eure.
Examples (Accusative)
- Ich sehe meinen Vater. (I see my father.) – Masculine
- Ich liebe meine Mutter. (I love my mother.) – Feminine
- Ich habe mein Haus. (I have my house.) – Neuter
- Ich treffe meine Freunde. (I meet my friends.) – Plural
- Du kaufst deinen Hund. (You buy your dog.) – Masculine
- Du magst deine Schwester. (You like your sister.) – Feminine
- Du reparierst dein Auto. (You repair your car.) – Neuter
- Du liest deine Bücher. (You read your books.) – Plural
- Er besucht seinen Bruder. (He visits his brother.) – Masculine
- Sie füttert ihre Katze. (She feeds her cat.) – Feminine
- Wir brauchen unseren Garten. (We need our garden.) – Masculine
- Ihr hört eure Lehrerin. (You all hear your teacher.) – Feminine
Possessive Articles in Dative Case
The dative case is used for the indirect object—the person or thing receiving the direct object or benefitting from the action. Possessive articles in dative also change their endings to match the noun’s gender and number.
Full Chart (Dative)
| Owner | Masc. (dem) | Fem. (der) | Neut. (dem) | Plural (den) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ich (my) | meinem | meiner | meinem | meinen |
| du (your, inf.) | deinem | deiner | deinem | deinen |
| er (his) | seinem | seiner | seinem | seinen |
| sie (her) | ihrem | ihrer | ihrem | ihren |
| es (its) | seinem | seiner | seinem | seinen |
| wir (our) | unserem | unserer | unserem | unseren |
| ihr (your, pl.) | eurem | eurer | eurem | euren |
| sie (their) | ihrem | ihrer | ihrem | ihren |
| Sie (your, form.) | Ihrem | Ihrer | Ihrem | Ihren |
Rules
- Masculine/Neuter: Add -em (mein → meinem).
- Feminine: Add -er (meine → meiner).
- Plural: Add -en (meine → meinen).
- Euer: Drops the internal -e- before adding endings: euer → eurem (masc./neut.), eurer (fem.), euren (pl.).
Examples (Dative)
- Ich gebe meinem Vater ein Geschenk. (I give my father a gift.) – Masculine
- Ich helfe meiner Mutter. (I help my mother.) – Feminine
- Ich zeige meinem Kind das Spiel. (I show my child the game.) – Neuter
- Ich schreibe meinen Freunden. (I write to my friends.) – Plural
- Du gibst deinem Bruder ein Buch. (You give your brother a book.) – Masculine
- Du hilfst deiner Schwester. (You help your sister.) – Feminine
- Du zeigst deinem Hund den Ball. (You show your dog the ball.) – Neuter
- Du schreibst deinen Lehrern. (You write to your teachers.) – Plural
- Er gibt seinem Freund einen Tipp. (He gives his friend a tip.) – Masculine
- Sie schenkt ihrer Katze ein Spielzeug. (She gives her cat a toy.) – Feminine
- Wir helfen unserem Nachbarn. (We help our neighbor.) – Masculine
- Ihr gebt eurer Lehrerin Blumen. (You all give your teacher flowers.) – Feminine
How Possessive Articles Work in Sentences
Word Order
Possessive articles come before the noun they describe, followed by the noun in the correct case.
- Nominative: Mein Hund bellt. (My dog barks.)
- Accusative: Ich sehe meinen Hund. (I see my dog.)
- Dative: Ich gebe meinem Hund einen Knochen. (I give my dog a bone.)
Combining with Verbs
- Use with accusative verbs (e.g., sehen, haben, kaufen): Ich kaufe meinen Mantel. (I buy my coat.)
- Use with dative verbs (e.g., geben, helfen, zeigen): Ich helfe meiner Schwester. (I help my sister.)
- Use as subjects with any verb: Deine Tasche liegt dort. (Your bag is over there.)
Adding Adjectives
- If an adjective follows, it takes an ending based on the case and article:
- Nominative: Mein kleiner Hund. (My little dog.)
- Accusative: Ich sehe meinen kleinen Hund. (I see my little dog.)
- Dative: Ich gebe meinem kleinen Hund einen Knochen. (I give my little dog a bone.)
Special Notes
Euer and Unser
- Euer (your, plural informal): Drops the middle -e- before adding endings: euer → eure (fem./pl., nom./acc.), euren (masc. acc., pl. dat.), eurem (masc./neut. dat.), eurer (fem. dat.). Example: Euer Hund (nom.), Euren Hund (acc.), Eurem Hund (dat.).
- Unser (our): Keeps the -er but adjusts endings: unser (masc./neut., nom./acc.), unsere (fem./pl., nom./acc.), unseren (masc. acc., pl. dat.), unserem (masc./neut. dat.), unserer (fem. dat.). Example: Unser Haus (nom.), Unseren Garten (acc.), Unserem Kind (dat.).
Same Forms
- sein (his/its) and ihr (her/their) look alike but depend on the owner: Sein Hund (his dog), Ihr Hund (her/their dog).
- Context or the verb’s subject clarifies it: Er liebt seinen Hund. (He loves his dog.) vs. Sie liebt ihren Hund. (She loves her dog.)
No Noun? Use Possessive Pronouns
- Possessive articles need a noun. Without one, use standalone pronouns: Mein Buch → Meins (mine).
- This guide focuses on articles, not pronouns.
Practice Exercises
Try these exercises to get comfortable with possessive articles.
Exercise 1: Fill in the Nominative Possessive Article
Add the correct nominative form:
- ____ (my) Vater ist alt.
- ____ (your, inf.) Schwester tanzt.
- ____ (his) Hund läuft.
- ____ (our) Freunde kommen.
- ____ (your, pl.) Lehrer redet.
Answers:
- Mein Vater ist alt.
- Deine Schwester tanzt.
- Sein Hund läuft.
- Unsere Freunde kommen.
- Euer Lehrer redet.
Exercise 2: Fill in the Accusative Possessive Article
Add the correct accusative form:
- Ich sehe ____ (my) Vater.
- Du kaufst ____ (your, inf.) Tasche.
- Er liebt ____ (his) Bruder.
- Wir brauchen ____ (our) Auto.
- Ihr trefft ____ (your, pl.) Freunde.
Answers:
- Ich sehe meinen Vater.
- Du kaufst deine Tasche.
- Er liebt seinen Bruder.
- Wir brauchen unser Auto.
- Ihr trefft eure Freunde.
Exercise 3: Translate to German (Nominative)
Translate using nominative possessive articles:
- My house is big.
- Your (inf.) dog barks.
- Her cat sleeps.
- Our garden blooms.
- Their books are here.
Answers:
- Mein Haus ist groß.
- Dein Hund bellt.
- Ihre Katze schläft.
- Unser Garten blüht.
- Ihre Bücher sind hier.
Exercise 4: Translate to German (Accusative)
Translate using accusative possessive articles:
- I see my father.
- You (inf.) buy your book.
- He visits his friend.
- We need our money.
- They love their mother.
Answers:
- Ich sehe meinen Vater.
- Du kaufst dein Buch.
- Er besucht seinen Freund.
- Wir brauchen unser Geld.
- Sie lieben ihre Mutter.
Exercise 5: Mix Nominative and Accusative
Fill in with possessive articles—3 nominative, 2 accusative:
- ____ (my) Bruder spielt Fußball. (Nom.)
- ____ (your, inf.) Tasche ist schön. (Nom.)
- ____ (our) Katzen schlafen. (Nom.)
- Ich sehe ____ (my) Hund. (Acc.)
- Er kauft ____ (his) Bücher. (Acc.)
Answers:
- Mein Bruder spielt Fußball.
- Deine Tasche ist schön.
- Unsere Katzen schlafen.
- Ich sehe meinen Hund.
- Er kauft seine Bücher.
Write your own 5 sentences using possessive articles—mix nominative and accusative!
Tips to Master Possessive Articles
- Memorize Base Forms: Learn mein, dein, sein, ihr, unser, euer—say them daily.
- Practice Endings: Focus on masculine accusative (-en) and dative (-em)—they’re the biggest changes.
- Match the Noun: Always check the noun’s gender and case—mein Hund (masc. nom.), meinen Hund (masc. acc.), meinem Hund (masc. dat.).
- Use in Speech: Say mein Name, deine Schule, meinem Freund aloud to build habits.
- Spot in Texts: Read simple German stories, underline possessive articles, and note their case.
Resources for Extra Practice
Goethe Institute
Grammar exercises.
YouTube – Easy German
Accusative in action.
Schubert Verlag
Free accusative tasks.
You’re Ready!
This guide covers possessive articles fully—forms, rules, and examples for nominative, accusative, and dative cases. Practice the exercises, apply the tips, and you’ll get the hang of it. Next, you could explore genitive possessive articles or standalone possessive pronouns—your move!