B1 · Genitive

während der Woche

während + genitive: during

Formwährend + Genitiv

Meaning and usage

As a preposition, während means during and takes the genitive: während der Woche, während des Frühstücks, während meiner Abwesenheit. It says that something happens within that time: Du hast während des Films geschlafen.

The same word is also a conjunction meaning while, followed by a subject and a verb at the end: während ich arbeite. With a noun phrase it is the preposition. In speech the dative is sometimes heard (während dem Essen), but the genitive is the standard. A common mistake is the accusative: während die Woche.

Examples 5

Test yourself

  1. 1 Sprachbausteine

    des Unterrichts darf man nicht essen.

    Show answer

    Correct answer: Während

    des Unterrichts is genitive, and the only preposition here that takes the genitive is während: during the lesson.

    • zwischen takes the dative or accusative and needs two points: zwischen den Stunden.
    • nachdem is a conjunction that needs a clause, not a noun phrase.
    • seitdem is a conjunction or an adverb and cannot stand before a noun phrase.

In this topic: Genitive

  1. des Mannes, der Frau, der Kinder genitive: des Mannes, der Frau, der Kinder
  2. wegen des Wetters wegen + genitive: because of
  3. trotz des Regens trotz + genitive: despite, in spite of
  4. während der Woche während + genitive: during
  5. statt, innerhalb, außerhalb + Genitiv statt, innerhalb, außerhalb, aufgrund + genitive
  6. Wessen Auto ist das? wessen: whose

Example sentences from Tatoeba, used under CC BY 2.0 FR. See sources.

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