Possessiver Genitiv bei Namen

Possessive genitive with names

With proper names (people, cities) the genitive is very easy: just add -s to the name (no apostrophe, unlike English!) and place it before the noun.

If the name already ends in an s-sound (-s, -ß, -x, -z), you can't add another -s; then you use just an apostrophe or the "von" form.

Note:

• German: Annas Buch (no apostrophe!). English: Anna**'s** book.
• Name before the noun: Peters Auto, not das Auto Peters.
• Names ending in an s-sound → apostrophe only (Max' Handy) or das Handy von Max.

Examples:

• Annas Buch ist interessant. (Anna's book is interesting.)
• Das ist Peters neues Fahrrad. (That's Peter's new bike.)
• Berlins Sehenswürdigkeiten sind berühmt. (Berlin's sights are famous.)