How to Use Greek Possessive Pronouns for English Speakers
Understanding Greek Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns in Greek indicate ownership or possession, similar to English. They replace nouns to show who something belongs to, such as "mine," "yours," or "his." However, Greek possessive pronouns agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they refer to, which is different from English.
Why Are Greek Possessive Pronouns Important?
Using possessive pronouns correctly helps you speak and write Greek more naturally and clearly. They allow you to avoid repeating nouns and make your sentences more concise.
Forms of Greek Possessive Pronouns
Greek possessive pronouns change form based on the gender (masculine, feminine, neuter), number (singular, plural), and case (nominative, genitive, accusative) of the noun they replace. Below are the most common forms in the nominative case, which is used for the subject of a sentence.
Here are the singular forms for the first person (my/mine):
- ο δικός μου (masculine) – mine (masculine noun)
- η δική μου (feminine) – mine (feminine noun)
- το δικό μου (neuter) – mine (neuter noun)
Similarly, for the second person (your/yours):
- ο δικός σου (masculine) – yours (masculine noun)
- η δική σου (feminine) – yours (feminine noun)
- το δικό σου (neuter) – yours (neuter noun)
And for the third person (his/hers/its):
- ο δικός του (masculine) – his
- η δική της (feminine) – hers
- το δικό του (neuter) – its
Using Greek Possessive Pronouns in Sentences
Greek possessive pronouns are often used with the definite article (ο, η, το) and the possessive adjective (μου, σου, του, etc.) to emphasize possession. For example:
- Αυτό είναι το βιβλίο μου. (This is my book.)
- Το σπίτι σου είναι μεγάλο. (Your house is big.)
- Η τσάντα της είναι καινούργια. (Her bag is new.)
When replacing a noun, the possessive pronoun stands alone with the article and possessive adjective:
- Το δικό μου είναι κόκκινο. (Mine is red.)
- Η δική σου είναι μπλε. (Yours is blue.)
- Το δικό του είναι καινούργιο. (His is new.)
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Greek and English Possessive Pronouns Comparison
ο δικός μου
Mine (masculine)
η δική μου
Mine (feminine)
το δικό μου
Mine (neuter)
ο δικός σου
Yours (masculine)
η δική σου
Yours (feminine)
το δικό σου
Yours (neuter)
ο δικός του
His
η δική της
Hers
το δικό του
Its
Further Reading
- Greek Grammar: Possessive Pronouns
Detailed explanations and examples of Greek possessive pronouns.
- Duolingo Greek: Possessive Pronouns
Interactive exercises to practice Greek possessive pronouns.
- LingQ Greek Grammar: Possessive Pronouns
Comprehensive guide to Greek possessive pronouns with audio examples.