Possessive ’s: Anna’s Book

What you’ll learn

Use apostrophes to show possession with singular and plural noun phrases.

ប្រើ apostrophe ដើម្បីបង្ហាញកម្មសិទ្ធិជាមួយនាមឯកវចនៈ និងពហុវចនៈ។

Meaning and use

To show possession with a singular noun or a name, usually add ’s: Anna’s book. For a regular plural ending in -s, add an apostrophe after the s: the students’ books. For an irregular plural that does not end in -s, add ’s: the children’s toys. Do not confuse a possessive form with an ordinary plural. Context also matters: Anna’s here means Anna is here, so ’s does not always show possession.

ដើម្បីបង្ហាញកម្មសិទ្ធិជាមួយនាមឯកវចនៈ ឬឈ្មោះ ជាទូទៅបន្ថែម ’s។ នាមពហុវចនៈដែលបញ្ចប់ដោយ -s ប្រើតែ apostrophe នៅខាងក្រោយ s។ នាមពហុវចនៈពិសេសដែលមិនបញ្ចប់ដោយ -s ដូចជា children ត្រូវបន្ថែម ’s។

Grammar patterns

Pattern	Example or form
A name or singular noun: add ’s	Anna’s book; the teacher’s desk
A regular plural ending in -s: add ’	the students’ books
An irregular plural not ending in -s: add ’s	the children’s toys
Ordinary plural: no apostrophe	two students; three books

Examples

1. This is Anna’s book.

   នេះជាសៀវភៅរបស់អាណា។

2. Dara’s bag is blue.

   កាបូបរបស់ដារ៉ាមានពណ៌ខៀវ។

3. The students’ books are on the table.

   សៀវភៅរបស់សិស្សទាំងនោះនៅលើតុ។

4. The children’s toys are here.

   ប្រដាប់ក្មេងលេងរបស់កុមារនៅទីនេះ។

Everyday conversation

Maly: Whose book is this?

Dara: It is Anna’s book.

Maly: And whose bag is that?

Dara: That is my brother’s bag.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
This is Anna book.	This is Anna’s book.	Use ’s to show that the book belongs to Anna.
The childrens’ toys are here.	The children’s toys are here.	Children is already plural and does not end in -s; add ’s.

Practice

Try these questions before opening the answers. Write or say each answer.

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Show possession: the bag of Dara.
2. Show possession: books belonging to several students.
3. Show possession: toys belonging to the children.

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. Dara’s bag

   Add ’s to a singular name.

2. the students’ books

   Students is a regular plural ending in -s; add the apostrophe after s.

3. the children’s toys

   Children is an irregular plural; add ’s.

Quick recap

• Use ’s after a singular noun or name.
• Use an apostrophe after -s in a regular plural possessive.
• Use ’s after irregular plurals such as children.