Breakdown of Wir brauchen Dennis' Deo, weil die Umkleidekabine total stinkt!
wir
we
brauchen
to need
weil
because (subordinating)
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
Questions & Answers about Wir brauchen Dennis' Deo, weil die Umkleidekabine total stinkt!
Why does Dennis just have an apostrophe instead of an extra s to show possession?
In German, proper names usually take an s to show possession in the genitive case. However, when a name already ends in an s-sound like -s, -ß, -x, or -z, you do not add another s. Instead, you just add an apostrophe. That is why it is written as Dennis' Deo.
Would I say Dennis' Deo in casual spoken German, or is there a better alternative?
While Dennis' Deo is grammatically correct and common in writing, spoken German often prefers using the preposition von with the dative case to show possession. In everyday conversation, you will very frequently hear das Deo von Dennis instead.
Is Deo a real word or just slang, and how do I know its gender?
Deo is the universally used short form of das Deodorant. It is a neuter noun (das Deo), which follows a helpful pattern: German abbreviations and clipped words that end in the letter -o (like das Auto or das Kino) are almost always neuter.
I recognize Kabine as cabin or booth. Where does the Umkleide part of Umkleidekabine come from?