The genitive: des, der, and the -s stuck onto the noun
CEFR B1 · part 1
edumaterial's parts within the level. The European framework does not subdivide them.
If I could: the Konjunktiv II with würde, hätte and wäreTalking about what is not real: what you would do, would have, would be. With the short…The passive with werden: when what is done matters, not whoBuilding a German passive with its two pieces —werden conjugated and the participle at…Relative clauses: der, die, das again, and the verb at the endHooking a description onto a noun with der, die or das, choosing the form with two…als, wenn or wann: German's three ways of saying «when»Choosing between the three with two questions: is it a QUESTION, direct or indirect?…The infinitive with zu: when it goes in and when it does notAttaching a second verb with zu, and knowing the few cases where it is NOT used: after…Reflexive verbs: sich, and the mich that is sometimes mirUsing the dozen reflexives that come up daily —sich freuen, sich interessieren, sich…The rule, in three lines
The genitive says whose something is and it is the fourth set of articles: des for masculine and neuter, der for feminine and plural. It also does two things no other case does: masculine and neuter stick an -s or -es onto the noun —des Mannes, des Kindes— and the phrase goes AFTER what is owned: das Auto des Mannes. With proper names it goes first and takes -s with no apostrophe: Annas Auto.
The usual slip. Forgetting the -s on the noun, the marking no other case has: it is des Mannes and not des Mann. And in speech, using the genitive where nobody does: Germans say das Auto von meinem Vater every day and keep the genitive for writing.
Why it catches you out. English has the closest thing to the German genitive of all four —«the man's car»— and in the same place, in front. Two traps. The apostrophe does not exist in German: Annas Auto, not Anna's. And with common nouns German puts the genitive AFTER: das Auto des Mannes.