Note that in the genitive:- masculineandneuternouns of one syllable usually take the ending
-es:des Mannes,des Kindes; - nouns with two or more syllables normally only add an -s:meines
Bruders,des Mittagessens; - feminineandpluralnouns don’t take any endings.
Using the dative as an alternative
Although the genitive can still be found in modern German – especially
in a more formal context – its use is decreasing. In spoken and sometimes
also in written German, the genitive is often replaced with an alternative
dative structure:Das ist die Idee meines Bruders. →
Das ist die Idee vonmeinemBruder.
That is my brother’s idea.
That is the idea of my brother.- For pronouns and cases, see Unit 5.
Exercise 4.1
Identify the function and case of each italicised noun in the following
sentences.Examples:Der Manngeht ins Kino.
Who goes to the cinema?
→The man: subject, nominative
Das sind die Bücher meiner Tante.
Whose books are they?
→My aunt’s: possession, genitive1 Die Studentinarbeitet am Wochenende bei der Telekom.
2 Diese Jackehabe ich in einer Boutique gekauft.
3 Ich rufe meinen Sohnin Salzburg an.
4 Der Vater schenkt der Tochterein Handy.
5 Hans arbeitet im Geschäft seines Onkels.
6 Ich möchte am Wochenende meinen Bruder besuchen.
7 Wir haben unserem Chefeine E-Mail geschrieben.
8 Er repariert den DVD-Spieler seiner Eltern.Unit 4: Cases 31