A case of the German grammar is called a genitive, also a case or case. The case indicates the relationship between a noun and other elements of a sentence. The genitive is used to indicate membership, participation, or origin, and also stands for certain verbs and prepositions. The control question is Whose?
In order to ask the genitive in one sentence, we can ask the question of control. This control question provides information about the genitive object as well as the genitive attribute of a sentence. For this, a question is formulated from the respective sentence, whereby an attempt is made to inquire about the corresponding nouns using the control question and thus to determine them. In practice, this looks something like this:
Sentence: He was accused of infidelity.
Question: What was he accused of?
Answer: the infidelity.
Sentence: They contain a direct comment.
Question: Whose do they contain?
Answer: a direct comment.
Sentence: We commemorate the victims of the war.
Question: Whose do we remember?
Answer: the victim of war.
The examples cited illustrate the use of the genitive and show how the latter uses the control question of what? is requested. It is also striking that the endings of the nouns change in two cases, whereby the articles and adjectives are adapted to the case.
Articles, adjectives and pronouns in the genitive
Some nouns adapt themselves to the case of a nominee. This adjustment is called declination. In the genitive too, the companions of the noun (article), their deputies (pronouns) and the related nouns (adjectives) must adapt to the noun. The individual word types are therefore declined. The following is a table overview.
Note: Possessive pronouns can fulfill two functions. Either they are companions of the noun (“This is my ball.”) Or they replace a noun named before (“This is Tim’s Ball.”). In the second example, the noun “ball” was replaced by “my”.
Note: Some adjectives, prepositions, and verbs require the genitive. A selection:
Adjectives: knowing the way, sure of life, tired of life
Prepositions: lack, due, thanks, despite, outside, because, on the other hand, on the other hand; beyond, near, along; left, right, northern; southern, despite;
Verbs: accuse, accuse, boast, contain, boast, ashamed, remember, rejoice
Names as genitive attributes, nouns without articles
There is another special feature with regard to names and nouns without articles. The genitive is formed with. In the case of proper names, this can also be preceded by a preamble. Here, the form is appended to s. If the proper name ends with a hint, an apostrophe (,) is used.
1. Names, nouns without articles
The poems of Goethe.
The car of Peter.
The weight of paper.
2. Preceded nouns (nouns get s-ending, with Zischlaut apostrophe)
Rebekka’s brush.
Goethe’s poems.
Hans, bicycle.
When is a noun or pronoun in the genitive?
There are sentences that force a genitive. A noun or pronoun is used in the second case when it stands as a genitive object for the verb or adjective, as an adverbial determination in the genitive, apposition to a genitive, attribute to another noun, or after a preposition which demands the second case (for example, because of, as a result ofout of, from;
1. Genitive object to a verb
The men boast of the title of “World Champion”.
A quarter of respondents abstained.
We accuse him of murder.
2. Genitive object to an adjective
He is not aware of any mistake.
They were sure of victory.
Tourists are not powerful in the language of the country.
3. Adverbial determination in the genitive
When Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from troubled dreams, …
In the end, we only want to be loved.
The chicken is in my opinion very delicious.
4. Apposition to a genitive (closer determination of the genitive)
I like the house of my aunt, my mother’s sister.
5. Attribute (supplement) to another noun
This is the nurse’s coat.
I love the scent of spring.
This is the opinion of the Minister.
6. Preposition that requires the genitive
Despite the rain, we are good things.
He feels uncomfortable outside the home.
North of the road is an inn.
Short overview: The most important thing about the genitive at a glance
The genitive is a case of grammar. It is also referred to as a second case or case. The control question of the case is Whose?
This case is used to display affiliations. There are also prepositions and verbs as well as some adjectives that explicitly require it.
