Possessive Articles: sein, ihr – A1 Grammar
In German, sein (his / its) and ihr (her) show possession and indicate whether the owner is masculine or feminine.
Forms of sein and ihr (Nominative case):
| Gender / Number | sein (his) | ihr (her) | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine | sein Bruder | ihr Bruder | his brother / her brother |
| Neuter | sein Kind | ihr Kind | his child / her child |
| Feminine | seine Schwester | ihre Schwester | his sister / her sister |
| Plural | seine Eltern | ihre Eltern | his parents / her parents |
Examples:
- Sein Bruder arbeitet bei Siemens. — His brother works at Siemens.
- Seine Schwester heißt Miriam. — His sister’s name is Miriam.
- Seine Eltern sind Paul und Paula. — His parents are Paul and Paula.
- Ihr Bruder lebt in den USA. — Her brother lives in the USA.
- Ihr Kind ist zwei Jahre alt. — Her child is two years old.
- Ihre Eltern wohnen in Berlin. — Her parents live in Berlin.
Note: sein / ihr take the ending -e before feminine or plural nouns.