The Reflexive Possessive 'svoj'

01

The Core Rule

If the owner is the subject, use svoj. It then agrees with the thing owned, like any possessive adjective.

• Ponesite svoje torbe.

  Bring your (own) bags.

• Dao sam poklon svom ocu.

  I gave a gift to my (own) father.

• Ta žena šeta sa svojim psom.

  That woman walks with her own dog.

02

Why It Removes Ambiguity

With "his / her", svoj tells you the owner is the subject, while njegov / njezin points to someone else. English is ambiguous here; Croatian is not.

• Ana voli svoju majku.

  Ana loves her own mother.

• Ana voli njezinu majku.

  Ana loves her (someone else's) mother.

03

It Works for Every Person

Unlike English, the single word svoj covers my own, your own, his own, our own - whatever the subject happens to be.

• Imala sam svoj stari sat deset godina.

  I had my own old watch for ten years.

• Moja žena sluša svoju omiljenu pjesmu.

  My wife listens to her own favorite song.

• Jesi li kupio balone za svoju zabavu?

  Did you buy balloons for your own party?

04

It Declines Like an Adjective

svoj takes the same endings as moj, matching the thing owned in gender, number and case.

• Volim svog tatu.

  I love my own dad.

• Ne mogu naći svoje naočale.

  I can't find my own glasses.

• Moj prijatelj je dao poklon svojoj majci.

  My friend gave a present to his own mother. (dative)

05

Everyday Fixed Uses

svoj is the natural choice in everyday sentences about one's own belongings and routine.

• Stavila sam cipele u svoj ormar.

  I put the shoes in my own closet.

• Želim da se držiš svog plana.

  I want you to stick to your own plan.

One thing it does not do is turn up everywhere English says "my". With parts of the body and close family, Croatian usually says nothing at all: the owner is obvious from the subject, so the possessive is left out.

• Perem zube.

  I am brushing my teeth.

• not with svoje in front of it - correct, but nobody says it