If you already know how to use Russian personal pronouns in conversation, it’s time to learn about possessive pronouns. As we know, possessive pronouns are used to express ‘ownership’ of something or someone. In Russian language, the possessive pronouns are Мой (my), Твой (your), Его (his), Её (her), Его (its), Наш (our), Ваш (your), and Их (their).
For example:
- это мой кошелек
(eto moy koshelek)
It’s my wallet
- Я видела твой карандаш
(ya videla tvoy karandash)
I saw your pencil.
Different from English, to use possessive pronouns in Russian language, you should check the gender, numbers (whether it’s singular or plural), and case.
THE POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS FORMULAS
Мой
[table]
[tr][th]Case[/th] [th]Masculine[/th] [th]Feminine[/th] [th]Neuter[/th] [th]Plural[/th][/tr]
[tr][td]Nominative[/td] [td]Мой[/td] [td]Моя[/td] [td]Моё[/td] [td]Мои[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Genitive[/td] [td]Моего[/td] [td]Мой[/td] [td]Моего[/td] [td]Моих[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Dative[/td] [td]Моему[/td] [td]Моей[/td] [td]Моему[/td] [td]Моим[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Accusative[/td] [td]Nominative/Genitive[/td] [td]Мою[/td] [td]Моё[/td] [td]Nominative/Genitive[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Instrumental[/td] [td]Моим[/td] [td]Моей[/td] [td]Моим[/td] [td]Моими[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Prepositional[/td] [td]Моём[/td] [td]Моей[/td] [td]Моём[/td] [td]Моих[/td][/tr]
[/table]
Твой
[table]
[tr][th]Case[/th] [th]Masculine[/th] [th]Feminine[/th] [th]Neuter[/th] [th]Plural[/th][/tr]
[tr][td]Nominative[/td] [td]Твой[/td] [td]Твоя[/td] [td]Твоё[/td] [td]Твои[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Genitive[/td] [td]Твоего[/td] [td]Твой[/td] [td]Твоего[/td] [td]твоих[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Dative[/td] [td]Твоему[/td] [td]Твоей[/td] [td]Твоему[/td] [td]твоим[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Accusative[/td] [td]Nominative/Genitive[/td] [td]Твою[/td] [td]Твоё[/td] [td]Nominative/Genitive[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Instrumental[/td] [td]Твоим[/td] [td]Твоей[/td] [td]Твоим[/td] [td]Твоими[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Prepositional[/td] [td]Твоём[/td] [td]Твоей[/td] [td]Твоём[/td] [td]Твоих[/td][/tr]
[/table]
Ваш
[table]
[tr][th]Case[/th] [th]Masculine[/th] [th]Feminine[/th] [th]Neuter[/th] [th]Plural[/th][/tr]
[tr][td]Nominative[/td] [td]Ваш[/td] [td]Ваша[/td] [td]Ваше[/td] [td]Ваши[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Genitive[/td] [td]Вашего[/td] [td]Вашей[/td] [td]Вашего[/td] [td]Ваших[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Dative[/td] [td]Вашему[/td] [td]Вашей[/td] [td]Вашему[/td] [td]Вашим[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Accusative[/td] [td]Nominative/Genitive[/td] [td]Вашу[/td] [td]Ваше[/td] [td]Nominative/Genitive[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Instrumental[/td] [td]Вашим[/td] [td]Вашей[/td] [td]Вашим[/td] [td]Вашими[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Prepositional[/td] [td]Вашем[/td] [td]Вашей[/td] [td]Вашем[/td] [td]Ваших[/td][/tr]
[/table]
Наш
[table]
[tr][th]Case[/th] [th]Masculine[/th] [th]Feminine[/th] [th]Neuter[/th] [th]Plural[/th][/tr]
[tr][td]Nominative[/td] [td]Наш[/td] [td]Наша[/td] [td]Наше[/td] [td]Наши[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Genitive[/td] [td]Нашего[/td] [td]Нашей[/td] [td]Нашего[/td] [td]Наших[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Dative[/td] [td]Нашему[/td] [td]Нашей[/td] [td]Нашему[/td] [td]Нашим[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Accusative[/td] [td]Nominative/Genitive[/td] [td]Нашу[/td] [td]Наше[/td] [td]Nominative/Genitive[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Instrumental[/td] [td]Нашим[/td] [td]Нашей[/td] [td]Нашим[/td] [td]Нашими[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Prepositional[/td] [td]Нашем[/td] [td]Нашей[/td] [td]Нашем[/td] [td]Наших[/td][/tr]
[/table]
Его, Её, Их
[table]
[tr][th]Case[/th] [th]Его[/th] [th]Её[/th] [th]Их[/th][/tr]
[tr][td]Nominative[/td] [td]Его[/td] [td]Её[/td] [td]Их[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Genitive[/td] [td]Его[/td] [td]Её[/td] [td]Их[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Dative[/td] [td]Его[/td] [td]Её[/td] [td]Их[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Accusative[/td] [td]Его[/td] [td]Её[/td] [td]Их[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Instrumental[/td] [td]Его[/td] [td]Её[/td] [td]Их[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Prepositional[/td] [td]Его[/td] [td]Её[/td] [td]Их[/td][/tr]
[/table]
Example of The Possessive Pronouns
Nominative
- Сейчас его друг живёт за границей.
(Seychas ego drug zhivyot za granitsey)
His friend lives abroad now.
Genitive
- У мою старшую сестру есть журнал
(U moyu starshuyu sestru yest’ zhurnal)
My older sister has a magazine.
Dative
- Мы часто пишем письмо нашему хорошему учителю.
(My chasto pishem pis’mo nashemu khoroshemu uchitelyu)
We often write a letter to our good teacher.
Accusative
- Я люблю твоего брата.
(Ya lyublyu tvoyego brata)
I love your brother.
Instrumental
- Андре познакомил меня со своим другом
(Andre poznakomil menya so svoim drugom)
Andre introduced me to his friend.
Prepositional
- Я не знаю о её жизни.
(Ya ne znayu o yeyo zhizni)
I don’t know about her life.
From each case, which one do you think is the most difficult? Nominative, genitive, dative, accusative, instrumental, or prepositional? Spend more time to learn and make a possessive pronoun sentence using that case. Good luck!