Schlusses

Schlusses is the genitive singular form of the German noun Schluss, which means end or conclusion. It appears in formal or written German when indicating possession or association with a conclusion, for example: Die Bedeutung des Schlusses des Berichts (the meaning of the conclusion of the report).

In everyday language the genitive is often avoided by rephrasing, using phrases like am Ende or im Schluss instead of des Schlusses. The form Schlusses is therefore most commonly encountered in literature, academic prose, or legal and technical writing where precise possession or attribution to a conclusion is required.

Schluss is a masculine noun. Its plural nominative is Schlüsse, and the genitive plural is der Schlüsse. Thus, while des Schlusses corresponds to the singular genitive and yields the form Schlusses, the plural forms shift to other endings. The relationship between Schluss and its plural or genitive forms reflects standard German noun declension patterns for masculine nouns ending in -s in certain cases.

Related terms include Ende and Abschluss, which convey similar notions of finality or completion but appear in different grammatical constructions. In practice, Schlusses is typically encountered only as part of a larger noun phrase in formal text, with speakers and writers often choosing alternative constructions to avoid the genitive when possible.