Prepositions with Genitive (während, wegen, trotz)
Three everyday German prepositions — während (during), wegen (because of), and trotz (despite) — always require the genitive case. Learning them unlocks a huge range of sentences about time, reasons, and contrasts that you will need almost immediately.
The good news: the genitive follows a predictable pattern. Once you see how the article changes and when a noun gets an extra -s, these prepositions will click into place quickly.
The Genitive Case: Article Changes at a Glance
The genitive is mainly signalled by a change in the article. Masculine and neuter nouns also add -(e)s to the noun itself (feminine and plural nouns do not change).
| Gender | Nominative | Genitive (definite) | Genitive (indefinite) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine | der | des + noun**-(e)s** | eines + noun**-(e)s** |
| Feminine | die | der | einer |
| Neuter | das | des + noun**-(e)s** | eines + noun**-(e)s** |
| Plural | die | der | — |
When to add -s vs -es: monosyllabic or ending in a consonant cluster → -es (des Mannes, des Kindes); most other masculine/neuter nouns → -s (des Sommers, des Staus).
The Three Genitive Prepositions
| Preposition | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| während | during | während des Sommers — during the summer |
| wegen | because of / due to | wegen des Regens — because of the rain |
| trotz | despite / in spite of | trotz des schlechten Wetters — despite the bad weather |
All three always govern the genitive in standard written German. A handy mnemonic: W-W-T → all take genitive.
Spoken German note: In casual speech, wegen and trotz sometimes appear with the dative (wegen dem Regen). This is tolerated informally but is incorrect in writing or formal contexts — always use genitive in your written work.
Genitive with Possessive Determiners
When the noun is preceded by a possessive determiner (my, your, his …) rather than a definite article, the ending follows the same pattern as the indefinite article.
| Possessive | Masculine / Neuter genitive | Feminine / Plural genitive |
|---|---|---|
| my | meines | meiner |
| your (sg.) | deines | deiner |
| his / its | seines | seiner |
| her / their | ihres | ihrer |
Trotz meiner Müdigkeit habe ich weitergearbeitet. — Despite my tiredness, I kept working.
Wegen seiner Erkältung kann er heute nicht kommen. — Because of his cold, he cannot come today.
📖 Examples
Während des Unterrichts darf man nicht laut reden.
During class, you are not allowed to talk loudly.
Wegen des starken Regens bin ich zu Hause geblieben.
Because of the heavy rain, I stayed at home.
Trotz des schlechten Wetters sind wir spazieren gegangen.
Despite the bad weather, we went for a walk.
Während der Reise haben wir viele neue Städte gesehen.
During the trip, we saw many new cities.
Wegen seiner Erkältung kann er heute nicht kommen.
Because of his cold, he cannot come today.
Trotz meiner Müdigkeit habe ich das Buch fertig gelesen.
Despite my tiredness, I finished reading the book.
Während des Sommers fahren wir oft ans Meer.
During the summer, we often go to the sea.
Wegen des Staus kamen wir zu spät an.
Because of the traffic jam, we arrived late.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
wegen dem Regenwegen des Regens
*wegen* requires the genitive in standard German, not the dative. *Regen* is masculine, so use *des* and add *-s* to the noun.
während der Sommerwährend des Sommers
*Sommer* is masculine (der Sommer). The genitive masculine article is *des*, and the noun gains an *-s* ending: *des Sommers*.
trotz das Wettertrotz des Wetters
*trotz* always governs the genitive. *Wetter* is neuter (das Wetter), so the genitive article is *des* and the noun adds *-s*.
wegen der Regenwegen des Regens
*der* is the feminine genitive (or nominative masculine) article. *Regen* is masculine, so the genitive article must be *des*, not *der*.
✏️ Exercises
Test your understanding. Click an option or type your answer, then check.
Choose the correct article: 'Wegen ___ Regens blieb er zu Hause.' (der Regen – masculine)
Which sentence uses *trotz* correctly?
Fill in the blank: 'Während ___ Reise haben wir viel fotografiert.' (die Reise – feminine)
Which preposition means 'because of' and takes the genitive?
Select the correct translation of 'Because of her work, she has no time.'
Choose the correct genitive form of 'das Kind' (neuter) after *trotz*:
Während ___ (das Konzert) haben wir alle mitgesungen.
Wegen ___ (die Kälte) trägt sie einen dicken Mantel.
Trotz ___ (die Probleme) hat er nicht aufgegeben.
Er kam zu spät wegen ___ (der Stau).