PronounA1

dein

your (belonging to you, informal singular) · yours (standing alone, replacing a noun)

Dein is the possessive pronoun meaning 'your' when speaking to one person informally (du). It changes endings like ein-words to match the noun's gender, case, and number. Germans use it with friends, family, children, and in casual settings.

What dein means

your (belonging to you, informal singular) — Used with a noun to show possession by the person you address as 'du'.
yours (standing alone, replacing a noun) — Used without a following noun, with the appropriate ending, e.g. 'Ist das deiner?'

Heard in real German videos

Lines where dein was actually spoken, from German videos watched with DeutschChat.

Äh, wie war dein Name noch mal?Uh, what was your name again?

Example sentences

Ist das dein Auto?Is that your car?
Ich habe deine Tasche gefunden.I found your bag.
Dein Bruder ist sehr nett.Your brother is very nice.
Wie geht es deiner Mutter?How is your mother?

Grammar

Type	Possessive pronoun (informal singular)
Base form	dein
Declension	Like ein-words: dein, deine, deinen, deinem, deines, deiner, etc.
Agreement	Agrees with the noun it modifies in gender, case, and number

Dein changes its ending exactly like 'ein' or 'kein'. For example: dein Hund (nom. masc.), deine Katze (nom. fem.), dein Buch (nom. neut.), deine Freunde (nom. plural).

Common phrases

dein Ernst?are you serious?
dein Wort in Gottes Ohrfrom your lips to God's ears
dein Bestes gebento do your best

The mistake English speakers make

English speakers often forget to add the correct ending to 'dein' based on the noun's gender and case, saying 'dein Mutter' instead of 'deine Mutter'. Always check the noun's gender and case.

Don’t confuse it with

Ihr — Ihr (capitalized) means 'your' when addressing someone formally (Sie), while dein is informal.
euer — Euer means 'your' when addressing more than one person informally (ihr), while dein is for one person.

Questions learners ask

What is the difference between dein and deine?

Dein is used before masculine and neuter nouns in the nominative case, and deine before feminine and plural nouns. For example: dein Hund (masculine), dein Buch (neuter), deine Katze (feminine), deine Freunde (plural).

How do you decline dein?

Dein follows the same pattern as the indefinite article 'ein' and the negative 'kein'. The endings are: dein (nom. masc./neut., acc. neut.), deine (nom./acc. fem. and plural), deinen (acc. masc., dat. plural), deinem (dat. masc./neut.), deiner (gen. fem./plural, dat. fem.), deines (gen. masc./neut.).

When do you use dein vs. Ihr?

Use dein when speaking to one person you know well (du). Use Ihr (capitalized) when addressing someone formally with Sie. For example: 'Ist das dein Buch?' (informal) vs. 'Ist das Ihr Buch?' (formal).