Genitive connects two noun phrases
A genitive can identify an owner or a related whole. It is useful for more than literal possession, as in a room belonging to a building.
Die Fenster des Hauses sind groß.
The windows of the house are large.
Match the article and noun ending
Compare des Lehrers, des Kindes, der Lehrerin and der Kinder. Feminine and plural nouns do not acquire the masculine/neuter genitive ending. Learn valid variants with the noun; both Kindes and Kinds exist.
Das Fahrrad der Lehrerin steht draußen.
The teacher’s bicycle is outside.
Von takes dative
In familiar contexts, a phrase with von can express belonging. Its article or possessive follows dative grammar. The construction can have other meanings too, such as identifying a sender.
Das ist das Auto von meinem Onkel.
That is my uncle’s car.
Weak nouns change outside nominative singular
Learn the pattern der Student, den Studenten, dem Studenten, des Studenten. The noun changes along with the article. This pattern is not shared by every masculine noun.
Nora spricht mit dem Studenten.
Nora is talking with the student.
An ending does not always mean plural
Den Studenten can be accusative singular or dative plural depending on the sentence. Use the whole phrase and its role, rather than deciding from the noun ending alone.
Ich begrüße den Studenten.
I greet the student.
Practise this pattern
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References
Original teaching prose and examples, informed by these grammar references. A2 placement is an editorial curriculum choice, not a CEFR certification.