DativGenitiv

DativGenitiv is a term used in German grammar to refer to the two cases Dativ (the dative) and Genitiv (the genitive) and to describe their roles, forms, and typical usage. The dative marks the indirect object of a verb—the recipient, beneficiary, or affected party—and is used after certain verbs and prepositions. The genitive marks possession or a close relationship and can express origin or part–whole relationships. In contemporary spoken German, the genitive is often replaced by von + dative, while the genitive remains common in formal writing and in fixed expressions.

Forms and basic usage. In the dative singular, the articles are dem (masc/neut) and der (fem), with den used for the dative plural (often adding -n to the noun). In the genitive singular, des (masc/neut) and der (fem) are used, with der (plural) for all genders. Genitive plural is der. Noun endings can also shift (for example des Mannes, des Autos; der Frau; der Männer, der Autos). These forms determine how determiners and adjectives agree with the noun in each case.

Prepositions and common patterns. Some prepositions require the dative: aus, bei, mit, nach, seit, von, zu, gegenüber. Others govern the genitive: trotz, während, wegen, statt, innerhalb, außerhalb. Some phrases allow either case depending on meaning or style, and in colloquial speech the genitive is frequently replaced by von + dative constructions.

Usage notes. The genitive is still favored in formal writing and in certain fixed expressions, as well as in possessive constructions with relative pronouns (dessen, deren) and the interrogative possessive wessen. In everyday language, speakers often prefer periphrastic forms, such as “das Auto von meinem Bruder” instead of “das Auto meines Bruders.”