Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns show ownership or relationships. They indicate who something belongs to.
In German, possessive pronouns must agree with the gender, number, and case of the noun they modify.
This lesson covers possessive pronouns and how to use them correctly in all cases.
Explanation
Possessive pronouns in German are: mein (my), dein (your, informal), sein (his/its), ihr (her/their), unser (our), euer (your, plural), and Ihr (your, formal).
Possessive pronouns decline like the indefinite article 'ein' - they have the same endings.
The possessive pronoun must match the gender and number of the noun it describes, not the owner.
Possessive pronouns can be used as determiners (before nouns) or as pronouns (replacing nouns).
Possessive Pronouns - Nominativ
| Person | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st singular (my) | mein | meine | mein | meine |
| 2nd singular informal (your) | dein | deine | dein | deine |
| 3rd singular masc. (his/its) | sein | seine | sein | seine |
| 3rd singular fem. (her) | ihr | ihre | ihr | ihre |
| 1st plural (our) | unser | unsere | unser | unsere |
| 2nd plural (your) | euer | eure | euer | eure |
| 3rd plural (their) | ihr | ihre | ihr | ihre |
| 2nd formal (your) | Ihr | Ihre | Ihr | Ihre |
Possessive Pronouns - Akkusativ
In the accusative case, possessive pronouns change form for masculine nouns.
| Person | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st singular (my) | meinen | meine | mein | meine |
| 2nd singular informal (your) | deinen | deine | dein | deine |
| 3rd singular masc. (his/its) | seinen | seine | sein | seine |
| 3rd singular fem. (her) | ihren | ihre | ihr | ihre |
| 1st plural (our) | unseren | unsere | unser | unsere |
| 2nd plural (your) | euren | eure | euer | eure |
| 3rd plural (their) | ihren | ihre | ihr | ihre |
| 2nd formal (your) | Ihren | Ihre | Ihr | Ihre |
Ich sehe meinen Freund.
I see my friend.
Er kauft seine Jacke.
He buys his jacket.
Possessive Pronouns - Dativ
In the dative case, possessive pronouns change form for all genders.
| Person | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st singular (my) | meinem | meiner | meinem | meinen |
| 2nd singular informal (your) | deinem | deiner | deinem | deinen |
| 3rd singular masc. (his/its) | seinem | seiner | seinem | seinen |
| 3rd singular fem. (her) | ihrem | ihrer | ihrem | ihren |
| 1st plural (our) | unserem | unserer | unserem | unseren |
| 2nd plural (your) | eurem | eurer | eurem | euren |
| 3rd plural (their) | ihrem | ihrer | ihrem | ihren |
| 2nd formal (your) | Ihrem | Ihrer | Ihrem | Ihren |
Ich helfe meinem Bruder.
I help my brother.
Er gibt seiner Schwester das Buch.
He gives his sister the book.
Examples
Das ist mein Buch.
That is my book.
Deine Schwester ist nett.
Your sister is nice.
Sein Auto ist rot.
His car is red.
Ihre Katze schläft.
Her cat is sleeping.
Unser Haus ist groß.
Our house is big.
Euer Hund ist süß.
Your dog is cute.
Ihre Kinder spielen.
Their children are playing.
Ist das Ihr Auto?
Is that your car? (formal)
Common Mistakes
Mein Buch ist hier
Mein Buch ist hier
Correct! 'Buch' is neuter, so use 'mein' (not 'meine').
Ich sehe mein Freund
Ich sehe meinen Freund
In the accusative case, masculine nouns require 'meinen', not 'mein'.
Er hilft sein Bruder
Er hilft seinem Bruder
In the dative case, masculine nouns require 'seinem', not 'sein'.
Practice Exercises
Test your understanding with interactive exercises. Practice makes perfect!
Start Exercises →Related Topics
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know which article to use?
German articles (der, die, das) depend on the gender of the noun. While there are some patterns, many nouns must be memorized. Practice and exposure to German will help you learn them naturally.
What's the difference between definite and indefinite articles?
Definite articles (der, die, das) mean 'the' and refer to specific things. Indefinite articles (ein, eine) mean 'a/an' and refer to non-specific things. Both must match the noun's gender: use 'ein' for masculine/neuter and 'eine' for feminine.
Are there rules for determining noun gender?
While there are some helpful patterns (e.g., words ending in -ung are usually feminine), there are many exceptions. The best approach is to learn nouns with their articles from the beginning.
What happens if I use the wrong article?
While using the wrong article is a common mistake, native speakers will usually still understand you. However, using the correct article is important for sounding natural and fluent in German.