Die Wunde an meinem Knie ist klein, aber mein Ellbogen tut auch weh.

The wound on my knee is small, but my elbow also hurts.

Breakdown of Die Wunde an meinem Knie ist klein, aber mein Ellbogen tut auch weh.

• sein: to be
• klein: small
• aber: but
• auch: also

Questions & Answers about Die Wunde an meinem Knie ist klein, aber mein Ellbogen tut auch weh.

Why is it die Wunde but mein Ellbogen?

Because German nouns have grammatical gender:

• die Wunde = feminine
• der Ellbogen = masculine
• das Knie = neuter

That affects the article and other words around the noun:

• die Wunde
• mein Ellbogen
• mein Knie

Notice that mein can be used with masculine and neuter nouns in the nominative singular, so both mein Ellbogen and mein Knie look the same there.

Why is it an meinem Knie and not an mein Knie?

Because an can take either the accusative or the dative, depending on meaning.

Here it means location: on / at my knee, so German uses the dative.

• an meinem Knie = at/on my knee

If there were movement toward something, accusative would be possible in other contexts, but not here.

Also, mein changes in the dative neuter:

• nominative: mein Knie
• dative: meinem Knie

Why does mein become meinem?