Немно́го о языке́ 9.2 На сле́дующий день
Possessive Pronouns
Back in Уро́к 1 you first encountered the Russian possessive pronouns and used them to identify the ownership of objects. The possessive pronouns (мой, твой, наш, ваш) agree with the noun they go with in gender, number and case. Except in the nominative and accusative cases, the endings for these possessives are similar to the regular adjective endings. Their forms are summarized in the table below.
| Masculine | Neuter | Feminine | Plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nom. | мой твой |
моё твоё |
моя́ твоя́ |
мои́ твои́ |
| Gen. | моего́ твоего́ |
мое́й твое́й |
мои́х твои́х |
|
| Dat. | моему́ твоему́ |
мое́й твое́й |
мои́м твои́м |
|
| Acc. | nom / gen | моё твоё |
мою́ твою́ |
nom / gen |
| Prep. | моём твоём |
мое́й твое́й |
мои́х твои́х |
|
| Instr. | мои́м твои́м |
мое́й твое́й |
мои́ми твои́ми |
|
| Masculine | Neuter | Feminine | Plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nom. | наш ваш |
на́ше ва́ше |
на́ша ва́ша |
на́ши ва́ши |
| Gen. | на́шего ва́шего |
на́шей ва́шей |
на́ших ва́ших |
|
| Dat. | на́шему ва́шему |
на́шей ва́шей |
на́шим ва́шим |
|
| Acc. | nom / gen | на́ше ва́ше |
на́шу ва́шу |
nom / gen |
| Prep. | на́шем ва́шем |
на́шей ва́шей |
на́ших ва́ших |
|
| Instr. | на́шим ва́шим |
на́шей ва́шей |
на́шими ва́шими |
|
The possessive pronouns in Russian are not used as frequently as they are in English. In a sentence like:
| I opened my books, found my notes in my notebook, and started working on my presentation. |
| Я откры́л кни́ги, нашёл конспе́кты в тетра́ди и на́чал рабо́тать над презента́цией. |
The Russian version does not use the word мой at all. It would be assumed that the books, notes, notebook and presentation all belong to the subject. If they didn’t, then Russian would clarify to whom they belong. Russian uses the possessive pronouns when something needs to be explained or connected quite closely with a subject.
Упражне́ние 1. Noticing the use and absence of possessives.
Think back to the episode Лу́чше по́здно, чем никогда́, when Caitlin is writing to her teacher Mila about her travel at the New Year. The seven sentences below come directly from the text. Do you think she included the possessive word in the sentence in her email, or did she leave it out? Check yourself, by hovering your mouse over the possessive pronouns.
| 1. Мара́т Аза́тович, [мой | ø] хозя́ин, повторя́л, что всё бу́дет в поря́дке. |
| 2. [Мои | ø] хозя́ева в э́тот день тоже уезжа́ли. |
| 3. В Ту́рцию самолёт улете́л без пробле́м. [Мой | ø] рейс во Франкфурт был то́лько ве́чером… |
| 4. [Наш | ø] рейс отмени́ли, а сле́дующий рейс полети́т то́лько на сле́дующий день. |
| 5. Э́то был оди́н из [наших | ø] сосе́дей-музыка́нтов … |
| 6. Сосе́ди мне немно́го рассказа́ли о [мои́х | ø] хозя́евах |
| 7. [Мои | ø] роди́тели бы́ли так ра́ды меня увидеть! |
Свой
Required use of свой
Even though possessive pronouns are often omitted in Russian, in third-person sentences ownership can be unclear. For example, in the English sentence:
- John took a picture of Mike and his son.
The equivalent sentence in Russian will clarify that ambiguity by using the reflexive possessive pronoun свой to show an item belongs to the subject of the sentence, while using его́ / её / их to show an item belongs to some one OTHER than the subject. For example,
- Ива́н сфотографи́ровал Ми́шу и своего́ сы́на.
- Ива́н сфотографи́ровал Ми́шу и его́ сы́на.
- In the first sentence, the photograph includes:
- а. Ivan’s son
- б. Misha’s son
- In the second sentence, the picture includes:
- а. Ivan’s son
- б. Misha’s son
Упражне́ние 2.
Read the English sentence and then pick the Russian sentence that best fits the context.
Implications
- 1. Review the sentences in Упражне́ние 1, paying attention to the forms of the possessive pronoun свой. This possessive pronoun свой:
- а. does not decline.
- б. declines, agree in number, gender case with the noun it modifies.
- в. declines and has forms like the adjective но́вый.
- г. declines, and has forms like мой and твой.
2. Because свой refers back to the subject, it does not have a single English equivalent. It will pick up its precise meaning from the subject. In third-person contexts this means that свой might be translated as his when the subject of the sentence is Denis; but as her when the subject is Amanda.
- Ама́нда говори́ла с Ка́тей о свое́й презента́ции.
- Amanda talked to Katya about her presentation.
- Дени́с написа́л эсэме́ску То́ни о свое́й ба́бушке.
- Denis wrote to Tony about his grandmother.
3. Although свой has to be used in third-person contexts to resolve ambiguity, it can also be used in sentences with first- and second-person subjects. Once again, since свой refers back to the subject, it can be translated as English my, your, our, etc.
| Я дал ему́ свой отве́т. | I gave him my answer. |
| Ты дала́ ей свой телефо́н? | Did you give her your phone number? |
| Мы написа́ли им свой отве́т. | We wrote them our answer. |
| Вы да́ли ей свой телефо́н? | Did you give her your phone number? |
In the above sentences in place of свой, you can use мой, твой, наш, or ваш, although мой, твой, наш, or ваш will make the sentences more emphatic, placing greater emphasis on ownership than the same sentence with свой.
4. Because свой refers back to the subject of the sentence, it cannot be used in the subject itself. Forms of свой are impossible in sentences like these.
| Вот Джош и его́ хозя́йка. | There’s Josh and his host mother. |
| На фотогра́фии Светла́на Бори́совна и её дочь Со́ня. | That’s Svetlana Borisovna and her daughter Sonya in the picture. |
| Оле́г и его́ подру́га сего́дня обе́дают в кафе́. | Oleg and his girlfriend are eating lunch at a café today. |