German · A2 · Family moment
Yours Mine His in German
Practise sorting baby belongings with German words for mine, yours and his. These pronouns replace a noun you have already mentioned. Their endings depend on the noun’s grammatical gender and case.
What you'll learn
- Use meinen, deinen and seinen for masculine objects in the accusative.
- Use meine, deine and seine for feminine objects.
- Use meins, deins and seins for neuter objects.
- Distinguish possessive words before nouns from possessive pronouns used on their own.
German phrases for yours mine his
Ich finde meinen Löffel nicht, also nehme ich deinen.
I can't find my spoon, so I'll take yours.
Löffel is masculine. Deinen replaces deinen Löffel as the direct object of nehme.
Dein Schlafsack ist nass, also nehme ich meinen.
Your sleeping bag is wet, so I'll take mine.
Schlafsack is masculine. Meinen means 'mine' and is the direct object of nehme.
Dein Bruder hat einen Schnuller, aber du darfst seinen nicht haben.
Your brother has a dummy, but you can't have his.
Seinen replaces seinen Schnuller. Du darfst nicht expresses that something is not allowed.
Ich habe meinen Becher. Möchtest du deinen?
I have my cup; do you want yours?
Becher is masculine, so 'yours' is deinen here. Möchtest du …? is a gentle way to ask 'Would you like …?'
Deine Flasche ist leer, also fülle ich deine auf.
Your bottle is empty, so I'll fill yours.
Flasche is feminine, so 'yours' is deine. Auffüllen is separable: fülle … auf.
Deine Decke ist nass, also hole ich meine.
Your blanket is wet, so I'll get mine.
Decke is feminine. Meine replaces meine Decke as the direct object of hole.
Dein Lätzchen ist schmutzig, also wasche ich deins.
Your bib is dirty, so I'll wash yours.
Lätzchen is neuter. Before the noun, use dein; on its own here, use deins or deines.
Dein Bruder hat ein Kuscheltier. Soll ich seins holen?
Your brother has a soft toy; shall I get his?
Kuscheltier is neuter, so 'his' is seins or seines. Soll ich …? means 'Shall I …?'
Hear these phrases and practise them
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Try it free for 7 daysKey words
der Löffel
spoon
Masculine: Ich nehme deinen.
der Schlafsack
sleeping bag
Masculine; also used for a baby's sleeping bag.
der Schnuller
dummy; pacifier
Masculine: Du darfst seinen nicht haben.
der Becher
cup; beaker
Masculine. A handled cup may instead be called die Tasse, which would require deine.
die Flasche
bottle
Feminine; in this context, a baby's feeding bottle.
die Decke
blanket
Feminine: Ich hole meine.
das Lätzchen
bib
Neuter. German nouns ending in the diminutive suffix -chen are always neuter.
das Kuscheltier
soft toy; stuffed animal
Neuter: Soll ich seins holen?
Standalone possessive pronouns in the accusative
A standalone possessive pronoun replaces a possessive word plus a noun. Use the accusative when it is the direct object: the thing someone takes, gets, washes or wants. Choose the ending using the gender of the replaced noun.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine singular | meinen / deinen / seinen | Der Löffel: Ich nehme deinen. — I'll take yours. |
| Feminine singular | meine / deine / seine | Die Decke: Ich hole meine. — I'll get mine. |
| Neuter singular | meins / deins / seins | Das Lätzchen: Ich wasche deins. — I'll wash yours. |
The owner and the belonging
The stem tells you who owns the item. The ending agrees with the belonging, not its owner. Dein- is used when speaking informally to one person, such as your child.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Mine: belonging to me | mein- + ending | Ich nehme meinen. — I'll take mine. (my sleeping bag) |
| Yours: belonging to you | dein- + ending | Ich nehme deinen. — I'll take yours. (your spoon) |
| His: belonging to him | sein- + ending | Ich hole seins. — I'll get his. (his soft toy) |
Before a noun versus on its own
Masculine and feminine accusative forms look the same with or without the noun. Neuter forms differ: dein Lätzchen becomes deins. Meins, deins and seins are common short forms of meines, deines and seines; both sets are correct.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine | deinen Löffel → deinen | Ich nehme deinen Löffel. → Ich nehme deinen. |
| Feminine | meine Decke → meine | Ich hole meine Decke. → Ich hole meine. |
| Neuter | sein Kuscheltier → seins / seines | Ich hole sein Kuscheltier. → Ich hole seins. |
More examples
Ich habe meinen Löffel. Wo hast du deinen?
I have my spoon. Where do you have yours?
Deinen is accusative because it is the direct object of hast.
Meine Decke ist trocken. Möchtest du meine?
My blanket is dry. Would you like mine?
Meine replaces the feminine noun phrase meine Decke.
Dein Bruder hat ein Lätzchen. Ich wasche seins.
Your brother has a bib. I'll wash his.
Seins refers to the neuter noun Lätzchen; sein- identifies the brother as the owner.