gehören

To Belong to (Gehören)

Level 2

The verb gehören is used to say 'to belong to.' It typically functions as a dative verb for ownership, but it also describes membership in a group or where an object is supposed to be placed.

How It Works

The verb gehören is a versatile verb for possession, placement, and social norms.

1. Ownership (Dative):
When indicating who owns something, the owner is in the dative case (e.g., mir or a noun with a dative article).

2. Proper Place (Accusative):
To say where an object 'belongs' (its intended destination), use a two-way preposition with the accusative case. This answers the question Wohin? (Where to?).
Example: Das Buch gehört in das Regal. (The book belongs in the shelf.)
Idiom: Das gehört so. (It is supposed to be like that.)

3. Membership (gehören zu):
To show membership in a group, use zu followed by the dative case.

4. Etiquette (sich gehören):
The reflexive form sich gehören describes what is proper or good manners.
Example: Das gehört sich nicht! (That isn't proper!)

5. Necessity (with Past Participle):
In advanced usage, gehören can be paired with a past participle to express that something 'ought to be' done.
Example: Das gehört bestraft! (That ought to be punished!)

Examples (6)

  1. Wem gehört dieses Auto?

    To whom does this car belong?

    Word by Word: To-whom belongs this car?

    The question word 'wem' is the dative form of 'wer' because 'gehören' uses the dative for ownership.

  2. Das Buch gehört meinem Bruder.

    The book belongs to my brother.

    Word by Word: The book belongs my brother.

    'Meinem Bruder' is in the dative case.

  3. Der Schlüssel gehört in den Schrank.

    The key belongs in the cupboard.

    Word by Word: The key belongs into the cupboard.

    When describing where something is supposed to be kept, we use a prepositional phrase.

  4. Österreich gehört zur Europäischen Union.

    Austria belongs to the European Union.

    Word by Word: Austria belongs to-the European Union.

    Use 'zu' + dative to show membership in an organization.

  5. Das gehört sofort erledigt!

    That needs to be dealt with immediately!

    Word by Word: That belongs immediately dealt-with!

    Pairing 'gehören' with a past participle (erledigt) expresses necessity or obligation.

  6. Das gehört sich nicht!

    That isn't proper!

    Word by Word: That belongs itself not!

    The reflexive 'sich gehören' is an idiom for good manners.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the accusative case for the owner.

    Das Fahrrad gehört mich.
    Das Fahrrad gehört mir.

    'Gehören' is a dative verb. You must use 'mir' (dative) instead of 'mich' (accusative).

  • Adding a double prefix in the perfect tense.

    Das hat mir gegehört.
    Das hat mir gehört.

    Because 'gehören' already starts with the inseparable prefix 'ge-', you do not add another 'ge-' in the past participle.

  • Making the person the subject (English interference).

    Ich gehöre das Haus.
    Das Haus gehört mir.

    In German, the item being owned is the subject (nominative), and the person is the object (dative).

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

gehörenLevel 2To Belong to (Gehören)

Learn This First

To use 'gehören' correctly, you must understand that it is a dative verb. This means the person or entity that 'owns' the object must be in the dative case, requiring knowledge of dative articles and dative personal pronouns. Additionally, you should know how to conjugate regular verbs in the present tense.

Words in This Pattern

gehören