In English, we use an apostrophe and an "s" (like "the teacher's book") to show possession. In Swedish, this is even simpler: you just add an -s to the end of the owner noun. There is no apostrophe.
The genitive -s can be attached to a name or a noun. When it attaches to a noun, it usually attaches to the definite form.
- läraren (the teacher) becomes lärarens (the teacher's)
- företaget (the company) becomes företagets (the company's)
Because the possessive word already makes the thing being owned specific, the owned noun drops its definite ending. It is lärarens dator (the teacher's computer), never lärarens datorn.
| The teacher's computer is new. | Lärarens dator är ny. |
| The company's boss is often tired. | Företagets chef är ofta trött. |
| The nurse's car is blue. | Sjuksköterskans bil är blå. |
People, Professions, and Workplaces
You will often use the genitive to describe the relationships between people, their professions, and their workplaces. The -s can attach to a person to show who they employ or work with, or to a place to show who works there.
| The man's doctor works at the hospital. | Mannens läkare jobbar på sjukhuset. |
| The police officer's dog is fast. | Polisens hund är snabb. |
| We eat the chef's food at the restaurant. | Vi äter kockens mat på restaurangen. |
| The restaurant's chef buys coffee at the bakery. | Restaurangens kock köper kaffe på bageriet. |
The Genitive as the Object
The genitive phrase can be the subject of the sentence, but it works exactly the same way when it is the object.
| I read the author's book. | Jag läser författarens bok. |
| The book's author is a woman. | Bokens författare är en kvinna. |