Possessive Endings (my, your, his ...)

01

The Endings

• "my": -ga or -ra; several things -kka
• "your": -t; several things -tit
• "his, her, its": -a; several things -i
• "our": -put or -rput; several things -vut
• "your" (several owners): -si or -rsi
• "their": -at; several things -at or -i

A noun ending in q takes -ra for "my": atuagaq "book", atuagara "my book". Most other nouns take -ga: anaana "mother", anaanaga "my mother".

• Aana kammaga Anna, ilinniartuuvoq.

  This is my friend, Anna. She is a student.

• Uangaana qarasaasiara, illit qarasaasiat ikaniippoq.

  This is my computer. Your computer is over there. (-ra "my", -t "your")

• Ernerput suliffeqanngilaq.

  Our son doesn't have a job. (-rput "our")

• Meeqqavut ukualu meeraat tamarmik atuartuupput.

  Our children and their children are all students. (-vut "our", -at "their")

02

Several Things Owned

When several things are owned, the ending changes: -kka "my" instead of -ga.

• Angajoqqaakka bankimi suliffeqarput.

  My parents work in a bank.

• Isikkakka tamarmik annernarput.

  Both of my feet hurt.

03

Same Form, Two Meanings

Some owned forms look exactly like a plural: meeqqat is both "children" and "your child". Only the sentence tells which is meant.

• Meeqqat bussimut ikipput.

  The children are getting on the bus. (here: "children")

04

Naming the Owner

When the owner is named, it comes first and takes -p, and the thing owned takes the ending for "his, her, its" or "their".

• Meeraaqqap qingaa assut inequnarpoq.

  That baby has a cute nose. (lit. the baby's nose is very cute)

• Iipilit juiciat sukkumik imaqangaatsiarpoq.

  Apple juice contains a lot of sugar. (lit. the apples' juice)

05

With a Case Ending

When the noun has a case ending, owner and case melt into one ending. "My" and "your" share these: -nnut "to my, to your", -nni "in my, in your". The -p form of "my" is -ma.

• Ataataga anaanannut tunissutisivoq.

  My father bought a present for my mother. (anaanannut "to my mother")

• Klassinni ilinniartuuvunga.

  I am a student in your class. (klassinni "in your class")

• Naalakkama tamatta viinnimik tunivaatigut.

  My boss gifted us each a bottle of wine.

06

His Own

When "his" or "her" means the subject's own, the ending is -ni. With a case ending it contains -mi-, as in -minut "to his own, to her own".

• Ernini atuakkamik atuffappaa.

  She reads the book to her son. (ernini "her own son")

• Kammaga anaanaminut tunissummik tunisivoq.

  My friend gave a present to her mother. (anaanaminut "to her own mother")