“The Brother of My Wife” – Why It Sounds Off (Even If It’s Logical)

I hear this a lot from German-speaking clients:

“The brother of my wife is coming.”

And I get it – “der Bruder von meiner Frau” feels totally normal in German.
But in everyday English, it sounds overly formal. Almost as if you’re reading from a legal document.

Here’s how native speakers would say it instead:

• My wife’s brother is coming.
• My neighbour’s car was stolen.
• My colleague’s feedback was helpful.

💡 Just use ’s.

It’s shorter. More natural. More human.

Here’s a simple trick:
If it’s a person (or even a pet), use ’s.

✔️ My dog’s name
✔️ My client’s idea
✔️ My son’s birthday

“The X of Y” isn’t wrong. It just sounds stiff and unnatural in conversation.

So next time you want to sound less textbook and more confident, try this small shift.

👉 “My wife’s brother” > “The brother of my wife”

Tiny change. Big difference.