This is the 1217th most frequent Dutch word.
s
The Dutch word "’s" is a contraction of "des," meaning "of the" and is used in archaic or formal contexts, such as in place names (e.g., 's-Gravenhage, meaning "The Hague").
Here, 's' is used as a genitive-like marker, indicating possession or association, commonly used in colloquial and abbreviated expressions in Dutch.
De auto's rijden snel op de weg.
The cars drive fast on the road.
In this sentence, 's' serves as a contraction for 'is', creating a more informal and spoken tone in Dutch.
Hij's klaar met zijn werk voor vandaag.
He is done with his work for today.
Here, 'S' refers to the shape of the letter 'S', describing the curvature resembling its form.