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Learn to Speak German Online:
German Grammar Guidebook

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Genitive

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(5th of 5)

The genitive case describes a relationship of belonging between two nouns. We usually call the equivalent case in English the possessive.
 

the dog’s bone Mary’s book

Genitive of Personal Proper Nouns

German proper names show possession merely by the addition of an -s. There is no apostrophe before the -s.
 

Goethes Faust Goethe’s Faust
Jans Mutter Jan’s mother
Mozarts Figaros Hochzeit Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro
Lilos Telefon Lilo’s telephone
Frau Öppings Sekretärin Ms. Öpping’s secretary

The noun Herr takes an -n in the genitive singular and the proper name adds the genitive -s:
 

Herrn Höyngs Name Mr. Höyng’s name.

Names that end in a s-sound (sibilant) add only an apostrophe in the genitive (NOT apostrophe + s):
 

Max' Buch Max's book


Examples of Genitive

  • Es gibt ein gutes chinesisches Restaurant gegenüber vom Hotel: "Das Haus des Orients."
  • und Figaros Hochzeit hat auch sehr gute Kritiken bekommen.
  • Die neue Aufführung von Goethes Faust soll hervorragend sein,