Possessive Pronouns — Russian Grammar

Possessive pronouns - my, your, our - agree in gender, number and case with the noun they describe, like adjectives. The words for his, her and their never change.

The Changing Possessives

(moymoj), (moyámojá), (moyómojó), (moí) - my
(tvoytvoj), (tvoyátvojá), (tvoyótvojó), (tvoí) - your (one person, informal)
(nashnaš), (náshanáša), (náshenáše), (náshináši) - our
(vashvaš), (váshaváša), (vásheváše), (váshiváši) - your (several people, or polite)

Э́то мой но́вый дом.
Éto moy nóvyy dom.Éto moj nóvyj dom.
This is my new house.
Моя́ кни́га там.
Moyá kníga tam.Mojá kníga tam.
My book is over there.
На́ше пе́рвое впечатле́ние.
Náshe pérvoye vpechatléniye.Náše pérvoje vpečatlénije.
Our first impression.
Мне нра́вятся твои́ во́лосы.
Mne nrávyatsya tvoí vólosy.Mne nrávjatsja tvoí vólosy.
I like your hair.

The Fixed Possessives

(YegóJegó) (his, its), (yeyójejó) (her) and (ikhix) (their) are the genitive forms of the personal pronouns. They do not change with the noun, and they never take the н- used after prepositions.

Его́ маши́на. Её маши́на. Их маши́на.
Yegó mashína. Yeyó mashína. Ikh mashína.Jegó mašína. Jejó mašína. Ix mašína.
His car. Her car. Their car.
Я люблю́ их кни́ги.
Ya lyublyú ikh knígi.Ja ljubljú ix knígi.
I love their books.
Я говори́л с его́ бра́том.
Ya govoríl s yegó brátom.Ja govoríl s jegó brátom.
I spoke with his brother.

In the Other Cases

The changing possessives decline like adjectives.

Э́то маши́на моего́ бра́та.
Éto mashína moyegó bráta.Éto mašína mojegó bráta.
This is my brother's car.
Позвони́ мое́й ма́ме.
Pozvoní moyéy máme.Pozvoní mojéj máme.
Call my mom.
Я ви́дел твоего́ дру́га.
Ya vídel tvoyegó drúga.Ja vídel tvojegó drúga.
I saw your friend.

Whose?

The question word (cheyčej) also agrees with the noun: (cheyčej), (ch'yačʹja), (ch'yočʹjo), (ch'ičʹi).

Чья э́то су́мка?
Ch'ya éto súmka?Čʹja éto súmka?
Whose bag is this?

Leaving the Possessive Out

With parts of the body and close family, Russian often leaves the possessive out when the owner is obvious.

Я чи́щу зу́бы.
Ya chíshchu zúby.Ja číšču zúby.
I brush my teeth.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Russian course

95 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 2. A few of them, with the words “Possessive Pronouns” is about in bold:

Это моя подруга, Анна. Она студентка.
Éto moyá podrúga, Ánna. Oná studéntka.Éto mojá podrúga, Ánna. Oná studéntka.
This is my friend, Anna. She is a student.
Lesson 2
Мой отец купил подарок для моей матери.
Moy otéts kupíl podárok dlya moyéy máteri.Moj otéc kupíl podárok dlja mojéj máteri.
My father bought a present for my mother.
Lesson 225
Где наша дочь? - Она в школе.
Gde násha doch'? - Oná v shkóle.Gde náša dočʹ? - Oná v škóle.
Where is our daughter? - She's at school.
Lesson 242

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