German - Possession

Lesson 14 of 158

Student learning German possession phrases like 'Gehört das dir?' and 'Das ist nicht meins.' for everyday conversation practice.

Goal: Ask and say who owns something

Free German lessons with guided practice, audio, and speaking support.

Welcome! In this short lesson we'll practice simple ways to ask who owns things and to say what belongs to you or your group. Keep it relaxed — these phrases are very useful in everyday life.

Level A1: In this lesson you'll practice common possession questions and answers in German, like asking “Gehört das dir?” and saying “Das ist nicht meins.” We'll listen, repeat, and use these phrases in a short conversation so you can start using them right away. It's CEFR-aligned and ready to help you with real situations.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Recognize and use common questions about ownership (informal 'du' forms).
  • Answer simply: say something belongs to you, to others, or not.
  • Use group possession: say what we have or what you only have.
Two friends checking items on a table while practicing German questions about ownership at A1 level.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

Gehört das dir?

Is it yours?

Meaning: Is it yours?

When to use: Ask informally when you want to know if a single item belongs to the listener. Formal alternative: „Gehört das Ihnen?“

Gehört das dir? Ich dachte, das wäre von Lena.
Is this yours? I thought it belonged to Lena.
Gehört das dir? Es liegt auf meinem Stuhl.
Is this yours? It's on my chair.

Das ist nicht meins.

This isn't mine.

Meaning: This isn’t mine.

When to use: Say that a single item does not belong to you. For specific nouns, the possessive form can change (meiner/meine/meins).

Tip: Beginners sometimes try 'nicht mein' — remember the correct short form is 'nicht meins' for an unnamed object.

Das ist nicht meins, es ist blau.
This isn’t mine; it's blue.
Das ist nicht meins — vielleicht gehört es Tom.
This isn’t mine — maybe it belongs to Tom.

Die gehören mir.

These are mine.

Meaning: These are mine.

When to use: Say that several items belong to you. 'Die' here refers to plural things (spoken 'these/those').

Tip: Learners may say 'Sie gehören mir' — that is also correct but 'Die gehören mir' is very common in speech.

Die gehören mir, die Stifte sind von mir.
These are mine; the pens are mine.
Die gehören mir. Bitte nimm nicht meine Bücher.
These are mine. Please don't take my books.

Gehören die dir?

Are these yours?

Meaning: Are these yours?

When to use: Ask informally about several items. Formal version: „Gehören die Ihnen?“

Gehören die dir oder sollen wir sie teilen?
Are these yours or should we share them?
Gehören die dir? Ich habe viele davon.
Are these yours? I have many of them.

Was hast du?

What do you have?

Meaning: What do you have?

When to use: Ask informally what someone has with them or owns. Formal: „Was haben Sie?“

Was hast du in deiner Tasche?
What do you have in your bag?
Was hast du zum Mittagessen?
What do you have for lunch?

Wer hat ___?

Who has ___?

Meaning: Who has ___?

When to use: Ask which person has something. The object after 'hat' may need the correct accusative form when using articles or pronouns.

Tip: Don't change the word order: use 'Wer hat ...?' not 'Hat wer ...?'.

Wer hat meinen Stift?
Who has my pen?
Wer hat ein Taschentuch?
Who has a tissue?

Wir haben ___.

We have ___.

Meaning: We have ___.

When to use: Say that a group (including you) has something. The object goes after 'haben' (use accusative if needed).

Wir haben drei Schlüssel.
We have three keys.
Wir haben keine Zeit.
We don't have time.

Ich habe nur ___.

I only have ___.

Meaning: I only have ___.

When to use: Say you have a limited amount or just one available thing. Use when you want to limit or emphasize quantity.

Ich habe nur ein Brot.
I only have one loaf of bread.
Ich habe nur fünf Euro.
I only have five euros.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Anna finds some pens and a jacket on a chair and asks David about them.

Anna and David talking about whose things sit on a desk, using simple possession phrases.

What are Anna and David talking about?

Portrait of Anna in a German lesson dialogue

Anna

Gehört das dir?

Is this yours?

Portrait of David in a German lesson dialogue

David

Nein, das ist nicht meins.

No, this isn’t mine.

Portrait of Anna in a German lesson dialogue

Anna

Gehören die dir? Die Stifte hier.

Are these yours? The pens here.

Portrait of David in a German lesson dialogue

David

Ja, die gehören mir.

Yes, these are mine.

Portrait of Anna in a German lesson dialogue

Anna

Was hast du sonst noch in der Tasche?

What else do you have in the bag?

Portrait of David in a German lesson dialogue

David

Ich habe nur ein paar Notizen.

I only have a few notes.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which phrase means 'Is it yours?' (informal)?

Which phrase would you say to tell someone 'These are mine'?

You see several scarves on a bench and want to ask if they belong to your friend. Which is correct?

At a market you want to say 'We have two tickets.' Which phrase begins that sentence?

You find a jacket on a chair. Ask: 'Is this yours?'

You find a jacket on a chair. Ask: '___'

At the ticket window you want to say: 'We have two tickets.'

At the ticket window you want to say: 'We have two tickets.' Say: '__'

You want to say you only have five euros: 'I only have five euros.'

You want to say you only have five euros: '__'

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

Gehört das dir?

Is it yours?

Say this phrase out loud:

Das ist nicht meins.

This isn’t mine.

Say this phrase out loud:

Die gehören mir.

These are mine.

Say this phrase out loud:

Gehören die dir?

Are these yours?

Say this phrase out loud:

Was hast du?

What do you have?

Say this phrase out loud:

Wer hat ___?

Who has ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

Wir haben ___.

We have ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

Ich habe nur ___.

I only have ___.