The Possessive Pronouns

In the Russian language, the possessive pronouns include words мой (my), твой (familiar your), наш (our), ваш (polite your), свой. The possessive pronouns indicate that things belong to somebody or something else. And you will hear one possessive pronoun or another if you ask a question Чей? Чья? Чьё? or Чьи? For example:

Мы любуемся твоей красотой. 
Чьей красотой мы любуемся?

Наш город большой. 
Чей город большой?

Свои успехи не восхваляй. 
Чьи успехи не восхваляй?

Note that English possessive pronouns have two forms: my - mine, her - hers, your - yours. In Russian, there is only one form of possessive pronouns. For instance, both "my" and "mine" are always translated as мой.

You probably have an idea of personal pronouns from our previous lessons. Just recall the third person genitive of personal pronouns (его, её, их). You may now use them like possessive pronouns. For example:

Я буду встречаться с его (её, их) братом.

The possessive pronouns change:

• by number (мой - singular, мои - plural)
• by gender (наш - masculine, наша - feminine)
• by cases (see the tables)

Мой, твоя, наш

Ваш, своё, свои

Now, if the possessive pronouns его, её and их look and sound the same as personal pronouns, how will you tell which one is which? The answer is that you should form a question directed to these pronouns.

The personal pronouns его, её and их answer the questions Кого? Чего? For example:

Я видел её на прошлой неделе. Видел кого?I saw her last week. Whom did you see?

Он встретил их на улице. Встретил кого?
He met them on a street. Whom did he meet?

Нам нужна вода. Без неё не прожить. 
Не прожить без чего?
We need water. One cannot stay alive without it. 
Without what one cannot stay alive?

The possessive pronouns его, её and их answer the questions Чей? Чья? Чьё? Чьи? For example:

Это её книга. Чья книга?
This is her book. Whose book is this?

Это их школа.Чья это школа?
This is their school. Whose school is this?

Она взяла его руку. Чью руку она взяла?
She took his hand. Whose hand did she take?

The good news is that the possessive pronouns его, её and их do not change by number and cases. Here are some examples.

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