genetiiv

Genetiiv, also known as the genitive, is a grammatical case found in many languages that marks a range of relationships between nouns. Its primary function is to indicate possession or close association, but it also expresses part–whole relationships, measurements, origin or material, and other qualifiers within noun phrases. In some languages the genitive can substitute for prepositional phrases, while in others it coexists with wide prepositional usage.

Form and marking vary widely. In languages with rich inflection, the genitive is typically expressed by a specific ending on the noun or by a determiner that accompanies the noun. In analytic or less inflected languages, possession and related relations are often shown with prepositions or possessive pronouns rather than a separate noun form.

Common examples illustrate its range. English uses the genitive mainly through the possessive 's (John’s book) or the prepositional phrase of (the color of the sky). German marks possession with the genitive article des, der (as in das Haus des Mannes). Latin uses genitive endings on nouns to show possession (liber pueri, “the boy’s book”). In Finnish and Estonian, distinct genitive forms appear in noun declensions and are used to express possession, quantity, and other relations, often within more complex noun phrases.

Genetiiv is one of several oblique cases in languages that employ morphological case systems. It interacts with syntax and word order to build meaning, and its exact function can vary by language family and historical development. The term is used across languages that have a genitive or similar possessive-like development, and should not be confused with the field of genetics.