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Possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns expressing ownership.
English expresses possession with possessive determiners and possessive pronouns.
Possessive determiners come before nouns, while possessive pronouns replace noun phrases.
This is my car.
Это моя машина.
"My" is a possessive determiner used before the noun "car".
This car is mine.
Эта машина моя.
"Mine" is a possessive pronoun that replaces the noun phrase "my car".
Is that your jacket?
Это твоя куртка?
"Your" is a possessive determiner before "jacket".
Yes, that jacket is yours.
Да, эта куртка твоя.
"Yours" replaces the noun phrase "your jacket".
Our house is near the park.
Наш дом находится возле парка.
"Our" shows possession or relationship before the noun "house".
The house near the park is ours.
Дом возле парка — наш.
"Ours" stands alone and refers to "our house".
Their dog is in the backyard.
Их собака во дворе.
"Their" is a possessive determiner before "dog".
The dog in the backyard is theirs.
Собака во дворе принадлежит им.
"Theirs" replaces the noun phrase "their dog".
Possessive determiners modify nouns to show ownership or relationship.
The possessive determiners are my, your, his, her, its, our and their.
My brother lives in Texas.
Мой брат живет в Техасе.
"My" is a possessive determiner used before the singular noun "brother".
Your keys are on the table.
Твои ключи на столе.
"Your" comes directly before the noun "keys".
His car is parked outside.
Его машина припаркована снаружи.
"His" shows that the car belongs to a male person.
Her office is on the second floor.
Ее офис находится на втором этаже.
"Her" is used before the noun "office".
The company changed its policy.
Компания изменила свою политику.
"Its" shows possession by the company.
Our friends are coming for dinner.
Наши друзья придут на ужин.
"Our" comes before the plural noun "friends".
Their children go to school nearby.
Их дети ходят в ближайшую школу.
"Their" identifies the relationship between the children and their parents.
I forgot my phone at home.
Я оставил свой телефон дома.
"My" is required before the noun "phone".
Possessive pronouns replace noun phrases that express possession.
The possessive pronouns are mine, yours, his, hers, ours and theirs.
This phone is mine.
Этот телефон мой.
"Mine" is a possessive pronoun and stands alone.
Is this seat yours?
Это ваше место?
"Yours" replaces "your seat".
That blue car is his.
Та синяя машина его.
"His" is both the possessive determiner and possessive pronoun.
The apartment on the corner is hers.
Квартира на углу принадлежит ей.
"Hers" stands alone and refers to "her apartment".
The decision was ours.
Решение было нашим.
"Ours" replaces "our decision".
Those backpacks are theirs.
Те рюкзаки принадлежат им.
"Theirs" replaces "their backpacks".
The blue umbrella is mine, not his.
Синий зонт мой, а не его.
"Mine" and "his" stand alone as possessive pronouns.
These books are hers.
Эти книги ее.
"Hers" replaces "her books".
Possessive determiners are followed by nouns, while possessive pronouns stand alone.
Compare my book with The book is mine.
My laptop is on the desk.
Мой ноутбук на столе.
"My" is a possessive determiner because it is followed by the noun "laptop".
The laptop on the desk is mine.
Ноутбук на столе мой.
"Mine" is a possessive pronoun because it stands alone.
Their house is near the lake.
Их дом находится возле озера.
"Their" must be followed by a noun.
The house near the lake is theirs.
Дом возле озера принадлежит им.
"Theirs" stands alone and replaces "their house".
Her phone is newer than mine.
Ее телефон новее моего.
"Her" is followed by "phone", while "mine" stands alone.
Our car is older than yours.
Наша машина старше твоей.
"Our" modifies "car", while "yours" replaces "your car".
This is his jacket.
Это его куртка.
"His" is followed by the noun "jacket".
This jacket is his.
Эта куртка его.
"His" stands alone as a possessive pronoun.
Its is the possessive form of it, while it's is the contraction of it is or it has.
These forms are frequently confused in writing.
The dog hurt its leg.
Собака повредила свою лапу.
"Its" is the possessive form of "it".
The company changed its name.
Компания изменила свое название.
"Its" shows possession by the company.
It's cold outside.
На улице холодно.
"It's" is the contraction of "it is".
It's been a long day.
Это был долгий день.
"It's" is the contraction of "it has" in "it has been".
The car lost its mirror.
Машина потеряла свое зеркало.
"Its" is followed by the noun "mirror".
It's already six o'clock.
Уже шесть часов.
"It's" means "it is".
The restaurant changed its menu.
Ресторан изменил свое меню.
"Its" expresses possession or association with a non-human entity.
It's one of the best restaurants in town.
Это один из лучших ресторанов в городе.
"It's" means "it is".
Whose is used to ask about or express possession.
It functions both as an interrogative word and as a relative pronoun.
Whose jacket is this?
Чья это куртка?
"Whose" asks who owns the jacket.
Whose car is parked outside?
Чья машина припаркована снаружи?
"Whose" functions as a determiner before "car".
Whose phone did you find?
Чей телефон ты нашел?
"Whose" modifies the noun "phone".
Do you know whose bag this is?
Ты знаешь, чья это сумка?
"Whose" introduces an embedded question about possession.
The student whose laptop was stolen called the police.
Студент, чей ноутбук украли, вызвал полицию.
"Whose" introduces a relative clause and shows possession.
The woman whose car was damaged filed a report.
Женщина, чью машину повредили, подала заявление.
"Whose" refers to the woman and introduces the possessed noun "car".
Whose idea was it to start the project?
Чья это была идея начать проект?
"Whose" asks about the person associated with the idea.
I met a family whose house was destroyed by the storm.
Я встретил семью, чей дом разрушила буря.
"Whose" expresses possession inside a relative clause.
English sometimes combines of with a possessive noun or pronoun.
Examples include a friend of mine and that idea of John's.
She is a friend of mine.
Она моя подруга.
"A friend of mine" means one of my friends.
He is a colleague of my brother's.
Он коллега моего брата.
"A colleague of my brother's" means one colleague of my brother.
That idea of John's sounds interesting.
Та идея Джона кажется интересной.
"That idea of John's" is a double possessive construction.
I saw an old friend of hers at the airport.
Я встретил ее старого друга в аэропорту.
"A friend of hers" means one of her friends.
He borrowed a car of his father's.
Он взял машину своего отца.
"A car of his father's" identifies one car belonging to or associated with his father.
That suggestion of yours was helpful.
Твое предложение оказалось полезным.
"That suggestion of yours" adds emphasis and means one of your suggestions.
I met a neighbor of theirs at the grocery store.
Я встретил одного из их соседей в продуктовом магазине.
"A neighbor of theirs" means one of their neighbors.
This painting is a favorite of mine.
Эта картина — одна из моих любимых.
"A favorite of mine" means one of the things I favor.
Possessive forms are often preferred before gerunds in formal English.
Compare I appreciated your helping me with I appreciated you helping me.
I appreciated your helping me with the project.
Я ценил то, что ты помог мне с проектом.
"Your" is a possessive determiner before the gerund "helping".
She objected to his leaving early.
Она возражала против того, чтобы он ушел раньше.
"His" identifies the person performing the action expressed by the gerund.
We were surprised by their arriving so late.
Мы удивились тому, что они пришли так поздно.
"Their" is the possessive form before the gerund "arriving".
I remember her calling me last night.
Я помню, как она звонила мне прошлой ночью.
"Her" identifies the person performing "calling".
They complained about our making too much noise.
Они пожаловались на то, что мы слишком шумели.
"Our" is a possessive determiner before the gerund "making".
Do you mind my opening the window?
Ты не против, если я открою окно?
"My" is the possessive form before the gerund "opening".
He was upset about his son's not calling.
Он был расстроен тем, что его сын не позвонил.
"His son's" identifies the person associated with the negative gerund phrase.
I appreciated your being honest with me.
Я ценил твою честность со мной.
"Your being honest" is a formal possessive + gerund construction.
Possessive pronouns often avoid repetition when the possessed noun is already understood.
Examples include Mine is newer than yours and This seat is hers.
My car is older than yours.
Моя машина старше твоей.
"Yours" replaces "your car" and avoids repetition.
Her apartment is smaller than mine.
Ее квартира меньше моей.
"Mine" replaces "my apartment".
Our team finished first, and theirs finished second.
Наша команда заняла первое место, а их — второе.
"Theirs" replaces "their team".
This seat is hers.
Это ее место.
"Hers" stands alone because the noun "seat" is already understood.
Those keys are mine.
Те ключи мои.
"Mine" replaces "my keys".
Your office is on the first floor, and ours is on the second.
Твой офис на первом этаже, а наш — на втором.
"Ours" replaces "our office".
Their answer was better than ours.
Их ответ был лучше нашего.
"Ours" avoids repeating "our answer".
I like my coffee black, and she likes hers with milk.
Я люблю черный кофе, а она — с молоком.
"Hers" replaces "her coffee".
Some idiomatic expressions contain possessive forms.
Examples include on my own, at your own risk and in our opinion.
I did the work on my own.
Я сделал эту работу сам.
"On my own" is a fixed expression meaning without help.
Please use the equipment at your own risk.
Пожалуйста, используйте оборудование на свой страх и риск.
"At your own risk" is a fixed expression.
In my opinion, the plan is too expensive.
По моему мнению, план слишком дорогой.
"In my opinion" is a common fixed expression.
In our opinion, the company should wait.
По нашему мнению, компании следует подождать.
"In our opinion" uses a possessive determiner in a fixed phrase.
She made the decision on her own.
Она сама приняла решение.
"On her own" is a fixed expression meaning without assistance.
You are on your own now.
Теперь ты сам по себе.
"On your own" can also mean independent or without support.
Everyone should make up their own mind.
Каждый должен сам принять решение.
"Their own" emphasizes that the decision belongs to the individual.
We saw it with our own eyes.
Мы видели это своими собственными глазами.
"With our own eyes" emphasizes personal firsthand experience.
Formal and informal English sometimes differ in possessive constructions.
Some informal structures are common in speech but less frequent in formal writing.
John and I will review the contract.
Мы с Джоном проверим контракт.
"John and I" is the standard subject construction in formal writing.
The manager spoke with Sarah and me.
Менеджер поговорил с Сарой и со мной.
"Sarah and me" is appropriate after the preposition "with".
Me and John are going downtown.
Мы с Джоном едем в центр.
"Me and John" is common in informal speech, but "John and I" is preferred in formal writing.
That idea of yours is interesting.
Твоя идея интересная.
"That idea of yours" is a natural spoken double-possessive construction.
She is a friend of mine.
Она моя подруга.
"A friend of mine" is common in both speech and writing.
I appreciate your helping me.
Я ценю то, что ты мне помогаешь.
Possessive + gerund is a more formal construction than some alternatives in everyday speech.
I appreciate you helping me.
Я ценю то, что ты мне помогаешь.
The objective form "you" before a gerund is common in informal modern English.
Between you and me, I think we should wait.
Между нами, думаю, нам следует подождать.
"Between you and me" is standard despite the informal feel of the whole expression.
Distinguish possessive determiners from possessive pronouns and avoid confusing similar forms.
Common mistakes include using mine book, confusing its with it's and omitting possessive determiners before nouns.
This is my book.
Это моя книга.
Use the possessive determiner "my" before a noun, not "mine".
This book is mine.
Эта книга моя.
Use the possessive pronoun "mine" when it stands alone.
The company changed its policy.
Компания изменила свою политику.
Use "its" for possession; "it's" means "it is" or "it has".
It's getting late.
Становится поздно.
"It's" is a contraction of "it is".
The manager spoke to John and me.
Менеджер поговорил с Джоном и со мной.
Use the object pronoun "me" after the preposition "to".
John and I went home.
Мы с Джоном пошли домой.
Use "I", not "me", because the pronoun is part of the subject.
Whose phone is this?
Чей это телефон?
Use "whose" to ask about possession.
She is a friend of mine.
Она моя подруга.
Use "a friend of mine", not "a friend of me".