Apostrophes in German

Use an apostrophe in German …

• to show possession but only with names that end in an s sound (ce/s/ss/ß/tz/x/z)

Examples:

Johannes Brahms’ OrgelwerkeJohannes Brahms’ organ works

Grace’ neue WohnungGrace’s new flat

Only apostrophe, no s

• to show missing letters (e.g. in slang short forms and abbreviated place names)

Examples:

Ich habe ’ne ganze Stunde gebraucht.It took me a whole hour.

Auf dem Ku’damm (= Kurfürstendamm) in Berlin gibt es viele Restaurants.In Ku’damm in Berlin there are lots of restaurants.

• to shorten adverbs with hin

Examples:

’nauf = hinauf

’nein = hinein

• with the contracted forms of auf den/auf dem and in den

Example:

Stell den Topf auf’n Herd. Oder steht er schon auf’m Herd?Put the pot on the stove. Or is it already on the stove?

Don’t use an apostrophe in German …

• to show possession; just add the letter s

Examples:

Hannas Pony = Hanna’s horse

Meyers Hund = Meyer’s dog

Only s, no apostrophe

• when a shortened word is easy to read despite missing letters (e.g. only the final e has been dropped)

Examples:

Heut hab ich was Seltsames erlebt.Today something weird happened to me. (= heute, habe, etwas)

Ich segle oft.I sail often. (= segele)

Red lauter.Speak up. (= Rede)

• to shorten adverbs with her

Examples:

rauf = herauf

rein = herein

• with contractions; (prepositions combined with a definite article, e.g. bei + dem = beim)

Examples:

Ich gehe ins Schwimmbad.I’m going to the pool.

Michael, komm doch ans Fenster!Michael, come to the window!

• with plurals and other words that end in an s (der Deppenapostroph)

Examples:

die DVDs

not: die DVD’s

Ananaspineapples

not: Anana’s

linksleft

not: link’s