When to use mein vs meine, dein vs deine, Ihr vs Ihre in German language

In German, possessive pronouns like mein (my), dein (your, informal), and Ihr (your, formal) change based on the gender, number, and case of the noun
they refer to. Here’s how to differentiate between forms like mein vs. meine, dein vs. deine, and Ihr vs. Ihre:

1. Gender and Number

• Masculine and Neuter nouns in the nominative case use mein, dein, and Ihr (no “e” at the end).
  • Example:
    • Mein Vater (my father) → Masculine
    • Mein Auto (my car) → Neuter
• Feminine and Plural nouns in the nominative case use meine, deine, and Ihre (with an “e” at the end).
  • Example:
    • Meine Mutter (my mother) → Feminine
    • Meine Freunde (my friends) → Plural

2. Case (Nominative vs. Accusative)

The case of the noun can also influence the form of the possessive pronoun.

Nominative Case (for subjects)

• Masculine: mein, dein, Ihr
  • Example: Mein Hund spielt. (My dog is playing.)
• Feminine/Plural: meine, deine, Ihre
  • Example: Meine Katze schläft. (My cat is sleeping.)

Accusative Case (for direct objects)

• Masculine nouns in the accusative case use meinen, deinen, Ihren.
  • Example:
    • Ich sehe meinen Bruder. (I see my brother.)
• Feminine and Plural nouns stay the same as in the nominative case: meine, deine, Ihre.
  • Example:
    • Ich sehe meine Schwester. (I see my sister.)
    • Ich sehe meine Bücher. (I see my books.)

Summary:

• Masculine/Neuter (Nominative): mein, dein, Ihr
• Feminine/Plural (Nominative): meine, deine, Ihre
• Masculine (Accusative): meinen, deinen, Ihren
• Feminine/Plural (Accusative): meine, deine, Ihre

For example:

• Das ist mein Buch (This is my book – neuter noun).
• Ich sehe meine Freundin (I see my friend – feminine noun).
• Er besucht seinen Vater (He visits his father – masculine noun in accusative).