des
The German phrase for "of the" is des.
des is used to indicate that something belongs to or is connected to a specific person or thing.
Which one should you use?
Unlike English, where "of the" is invariant, the German equivalent changes based on the gender and number of the noun it precedes. While des is used for masculine and neuter nouns, der is used for the genitive "of the" with feminine singular nouns.
How does it change in a sentence?
des is the genitive singular form for masculine and neuter nouns. When using des to show possession, masculine and neuter nouns usually require an '-s' or '-es' ending.
Did you know?
- Certain prepositions in German, such as wegen or während, traditionally trigger the use of des even when they are not expressing possession.
- The 's' or 'es' ending added to a noun after des is actually a remnant of an ancient inflectional system that has largely disappeared from other parts of the language.
- In many German dialects, particularly in Southern regions, people often avoid using des altogether by using a dative construction with von instead.
Examples in context
- Das ist Teil des Plans.It's all part of the plan.This sentence shows how to say "part of the" using des.Tatoeba #3245999 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1112037 by Scott
- Das ist Teil des Problems.This is part of the problem.Tatoeba #3026628 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2663416 by CK
- Ich bin Teil des Problems.I'm part of the problem.Tatoeba #13274104 by Waldelfe, translation #10281789 by DJ_Saidez
- Die Berichte von dem Projekt zeigen Fortschritte.The reports of the project show progress.
- Die Skulptur von der Künstlerin steht im Park.The sculpture of the artist is in the park.
- Die Ideen von den Schülern sind kreativ.The ideas of the students are creative.
- Der Geschmack vom Kuchen ist fantastisch.The taste of the cake is fantastic.
- Das Haus von der Nachbarin ist neu.The house of the neighbor is new.
- Die Ergebnisse von den Tests waren überraschend.The results of the tests were surprising.
- Die Pläne von der Reiseleiterin sind spannend.The plans of the tour guide are exciting.
- Das Restaurant von dem Hotel ist sehr empfehlenswert.The restaurant of the hotel is highly recommended.
- Das Buch meines Freundes ist sehr interessant.My friend's book is very interesting.
- 2192 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hannah and Maximilian are talking about a book.
- HannahHast du das Ende des Buches gelesen?Did you read the end of the book?
- MaximilianNein, ich bin noch nicht so weit.No, I am not that far yet.
- HannahDie Farbe des Einbands ist sehr schön.The color of the cover is very beautiful.
- MaximilianJa, das stimmt, Hannah.Yes, that is true, Hannah.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
