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Can someone please explain, what's happening to genitive in following sentence?

Ich glaube so ungefähr Ende Februar.

Em1
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Dragut
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    Short answer: They’re both valid. I don’t feel like writing the long answer, though. – Jan Oct 23 '16 at 19:49
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    No one would actually say "Ende des Februars", though. – Craig Oct 23 '16 at 21:48
  • How about "Ende Februars" Is it common in speech, if correct at all? – amirdeq Oct 24 '16 at 06:44
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    Note, that unspecific nouns in phrases like Ende des Monats, Anfang der Woche, Mitte des Jahres work exactly like you expect. I assume, it is related to the specific name used, similar to Mittwoch früh. Names frequently occur without any article, but I could not find the related rule quickly. – guidot Oct 24 '16 at 07:44
  • another guestion, is it still in genetive:Ende Februar? – Dragut Nov 29 '16 at 19:12

1 Answers1

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You use "Ende Februar" because you're referring to a point in time. That point of time only supports and specifies a statement, it's not the subject of that statement.

Ich glaube die Klausuren beginnen so ungefähr Ende Februar.

If you wanted to make a statement about the end of the month February (that actual portion of the month), you would use the Genitive.

Das Ende des Dezembers ist gewöhnlich eine von vielen Festen und Feiertagen geprägte Zeit.

Javiliano
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    +1, but even Germans do the second one wrong all the time. – Janka Oct 24 '16 at 23:34
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    I am not sure if this is right. I wouldn't say the second sentence because it sounds strange. – Iris Oct 26 '16 at 06:40
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    Many things sounds strange because nobody talks in that way, I agree. The purpose of that sentence was only to showcase the grammar. – Javiliano Nov 02 '16 at 22:29
  • I had another question that is this expression still in genetive:Ende Februar? – Dragut Nov 29 '16 at 19:14