THE SMALL DIFFERENCE that makes a big difference
How to use (possessive) apostrophe in Danish and English
Forming possessives of nouns and pronouns (i.e. marking that one thing belongs to something/someone) is very different in Danish and English.
In Danish, there are three types of possessive endings:
| Ending | Example |
|---|---|
| -s (without an apostrophe) | Mikkels computer er gået i stykker. |
| -’ (after names, nouns, pronouns and abbreviations ending on -s or -z) | Anders’ eksamen gik godt. |
| -’s (after abbreviations) | BTECH’s personalefester er sjove. |
In English, you must always add an apostrophe when forming possessives, e.g.:
- The department’s study programmes focus on business and engineering.
If the noun is plural or singular and ends in -s, you form the possessive simply by adding the apostrophe, e.g.:
- The lecturers’ knowledge of English is really good.
Many confuse possessive forms and contractions, where two words (a noun or pronoun and a verb) are written in one word. Therefore, please pay attention to the following: Its and it's, you're and your, who's and whose, and they're, their and there. E.g.:
- The department is successful. Its staff is very helpful.
- It’s (it is) great seeing you again.
- Your book is really interesting.
- You’re (you are) the best!