Genitive prepositions in formal German (trotz, während, wegen)
The prepositions that govern the genitive in standard written German — trotz, während, wegen, (an)statt and the more formal innerhalb, außerhalb, ungeachtet, mangels, kraft — and why colloquial speech swaps them to the dative.
A set of German prepositions governs the genitive case. The everyday core is trotz (despite), während (during), wegen (because of) and (an)statt (instead of); the more formal members include innerhalb (inside), außerhalb (outside), ungeachtet (regardless of), mangels (for lack of), kraft (by virtue of), zugunsten (in favour of) and hinsichtlich (with regard to). After them the noun phrase takes its genitive ending: the masculine and neuter article becomes des (with an -s/-es on the noun, des Regens, des Wetters), and the feminine and plural article becomes der (der Prüfung, der Kosten).
| gender | article | example |
|---|---|---|
| masculine | des | trotz des Regens |
| neuter | des | wegen des Wetters |
| feminine | der | während der Prüfung |
| plural | der | ungeachtet der Kosten |
In colloquial German these prepositions are very often switched to the dative (wegen dem Wetter, trotz dem Regen). This is widely heard but is still marked as non-standard. In the formal, written register expected at C2 — and in the Goethe and telc exams — keep the genitive (wegen des Wetters, trotz des Regens).
Examples
Trotz Grammatical analysisBase form derCaseGenitiv (genitive)Gendermaskulin (masculine)NumberSingular (singular)Checked deterministically before build Grammatical analysisBase form RegenCaseGenitiv (genitive)Gendermaskulin (masculine)NumberSingular (singular)Checked deterministically before build gehen Grammatical analysisBase form wirCaseNominativ (nominative)NumberPlural (plural)Person1st person plural (wir)Checked deterministically before build spazieren.
Despite the rain we go for a walk.
Während der Prüfung Grammatical analysisBase form seinPerson3rd person singular (er/sie/es)TensePräsens (present)Checked deterministically before build Ruhe nötig.
During the exam, quiet is required.
Common mistakes
In the standard written register these prepositions govern the genitive (des Wetters), not the dative.