Possessive articles
A1 · Beginner · Basics
The rule
mein, dein, sein, ihr, unser, euer, ihr. Take ein-endings.
How it works
Possessive articles show who owns something: mein (my), dein (your), sein (his/its), ihr (her), unser (our), euer (your plural), ihr (their) and Ihr (formal your). They follow the same endings as ein, so mein Haus, meine Katze and mein Auto. The possessive agrees with the owned item, not with the owner.
When to use it
Use mein, dein, sein, ihr, unser, euer and ihr to show who owns something, taking the same endings as ein.
Use cases
- Saying whose item it is: Das ist mein Buch
- Describing family and possessions: Unsere Wohnung ist klein
- Writing formal letters with Ihr
Examples
- Das ist mein Bruder – That is my brother
- Wo ist deine Tasche? – Where is your bag?
- Er liebt seine Frau. – He loves his wife.
- Ihre Adresse bitte. – Your address, please. (formal)
Common mistake
Forgetting the ending on the possessive, for example "mein Haus" is right, but "meine Haus" is not.
Memory tip
Possessives follow the ein-pattern: mein Bruder, meine Schwester, mein Buch, meine Bücher.