Possessives in the Dative

Level 2

In the dative, possessives get the same endings as the articles dem, der and den: mat mengem Brudder, mat menger Mamm, mat menge Kanner.

How It Works

The endings

  • masculine and neuter: -em: mengem, dengem, sengem, hirem, eisem, ärem
  • feminine: -er: menger, denger, senger, hirer, eiser, ärer
  • plural: -en, or -e by the n-rule: mengen/menge, eisen/eise, hiren/hire

These are the same endings you see in dem, der and den and in engem and enger.

When they are used

  • after dative prepositions such as mat, bei, vun, aus and no: vun eisem Chef
  • for the person who receives something, and after dative verbs such as hëllefen: Hien hëlleft senger Schwëster.

Watch the plural
The plural ending -en follows the n-rule: mat menge Kanner, but mat mengen Elteren.

Showing who owns something
This dative is also the first half of the phrase dem Papp säin Auto. See dem Papp säin Auto.

Examples (6)

  1. Ech wunne mat mengem Brudder zesummen.

    I live with my brother.

    Word by Word: I live with my brother together.

    Brudder is masculine, and mat takes the dative, so mäin becomes mengem.

  2. Si fiert mat hirer Mamm an d'Stad.

    She is going into town with her mum.

    Word by Word: She drives with her mum into the town.

    Mamm is feminine, so hir becomes hirer.

  3. Mir gi mat menge Kanner an de Park.

    We are going to the park with my children.

    Word by Word: We go with my children into the park.

    In the plural, mengen becomes menge before K.

  4. Ech kréien e Bréif vun eisem Chef.

    I am getting a letter from our boss.

    Word by Word: I get a letter from our boss.

    Vun takes the dative, and Chef is masculine: eisem.

  5. Hien hëlleft senger Schwëster.

    He is helping his sister.

    Word by Word: He helps his sister.

    Hëllefen takes a dative object. Schwëster is feminine: senger.

  6. Wat schenks du dengem Papp?

    What are you giving your dad?

    Word by Word: What gift you your dad?

    Your dad receives the gift, so däin becomes dengem.

Common Mistakes

  • Keeping the nominative form after a dative preposition.

    Si fiert mat hir Mamm an d'Stad.
    Si fiert mat hirer Mamm an d'Stad.

    Mat takes the dative. With a feminine noun, the possessive ends in -er.

  • Using mäin after mat with a masculine noun.

    Ech wunne mat mäi Brudder zesummen.
    Ech wunne mat mengem Brudder zesummen.

    In the dative, mäin becomes mengem for masculine and neuter nouns.

  • Keeping the n of the plural ending before most consonants.

    Mir gi mat mengen Kanner an de Park.
    Mir gi mat menge Kanner an de Park.

    The plural dative ending -en follows the n-rule and becomes -e before K.

How It Connects

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

Possessives in the DativeLevel 2

Learn This First

Before Possessives in the Dative, learn Dative Articles and My: Mäin and Meng.

Words in This Pattern

mengemmengermengendengemdengerdengensengemsengersengenhiremhirerhireneisemeisereisenäremärerärenÄremÄrerÄren