Possessive Pronouns in Modern Greek Posted by Ourania on Nov 18, 2013 in Grammar
The possessive pronouns have the same form as the weak forms of the personal pronouns in the genitive case (γενική, geniki). They are used to express possession.
Ενικός (enikos, singular) | Πληθυντικός (plithintikos, plural) | ||||
μου | mou | my | μας | mas | our |
σου | sou | your | σας | sas | your |
του | tou | his | τους | tous | their (masc.) |
της | tis | her | τους | tous | their (fem.) |
του | tou | its | τους | tous | their (neuter) |
- They have singular and plural but they are not declinable.
- They are placed after the noun or the adjective they refer to.
- They are always used with an article or a contracted preposition: το σπίτι μου (to spiti mou, my house), τα παιδιά μας (ta paidia mas, our children), μία φίλη μου (mia fili mou, a friend of mine), στο νησί τους (sto nisi tous, in their island)
Examples:
1. Θα πάω σινεμά με την αδελφή μου.
Tha pao sinema me tin aderfi mou.
I’ll go to the movies with my sister.
2. Πιες τον καφέ σου. Θα κρυώσει.
Pies ton kafe sou. Tha kriosei.
Drink your coffee. It will be cold.
3. Ο Αντρέας μιλάει στο τηλέφωνο με την αδερφή του.
O Andreas milaei sto tilefono me tin aderfi tou.
Andreas is on the phone with his sister.
4. Η Ρέα βλέπει τους γονείς της κάθε Κυριακή.
I Rea vlepei tous goneis tis kather Kyriaki.
Rea sees (meets) her parents every Sunday.
5. Το γατάκι είναι στο καλάθι του.
To gataki einai sto kalathi tou.
The kitten is in its basket.
Note: The noun γατάκι (gataki, kitten) is neuter so we use the pronoun του (tou, its) |
6. Σας αρέσει το ξενοδοχείο μας;
Sas aresei to xenodoheio mas?
Do you like our hotel?
7. Παιδιά, ποια είναι η δασκάλα σας;
Paidia, pia ine I daskala sas.
Children, who is your teacher?
Ορίστε τα ρέστα σας, κύριε Νικολάου.
Oriste ta resta sas, kirie Nikolaou.
Here’s your change, Mr. Nikolaou.
8. Ο Πέτρος και ο Στέλιος πίνουν τις μπίρες τους.
O Petros kai o Stelios pinoun tis bires tous.
Petros and Stelios are drinking their beers.
9. Η Στέλλα και η Σοφία είναι στο μπαρ με τους φίλους τους.
I Stella kai I Sophia ine sto bar me tous filous tous.
Stella and Sophia are at the bar with their friends.
10. Τα παιδιά είναι στους φίλους τους.
Ta paidia ine stous filous tous.
The children are at their friends’.
Emphatic Forms
If we want to emphasize, we use the pronoun δικός, δική, δικό (dikos, diki, diko, mine / my own) followed by a possessive pronoun. Τhose pronouns are declinable, i.e. they have the same gender, number and case as the noun they refer to. The feminine pronoun δική (diki) can also take the form δικιά (dikia).
Examples:
1. Αυτό το βιβλίο δεν είναι δικό σου, είναι δικό μου.
Afto to vivlio den ine diko sou, ine diko mou.
This book isn’t yours, it’s mine.
2. Αυτά τα παπούτσια είναι δικά σας;
Afta ta papoutsia ine dika sas?
Are these shoes yours?
3. Θα ταξιδέψουμε με το δικό μας αυτοκίνητο, όχι με το δικό τους.
Tha taxidepsoume me to diko mas aftokinito, ohi me to diko tous.
We’ll travel with our car, not with theirs.
4. Αυτή η μπίρα είναι δική σας.
Afti I bira ine diki sas.
This beer is yours.
5. Λυπάμαι, αλλά αυτό δικό της πρόβλημα. Δεν μπορώ να κάνω τίποτα.
Lipame, alla afto ine diko ths provlima. Den boro na kano tipota.
I’m sorry, but this is her problem. There’s nothing I can do about it.
6. Γιατί φοράς συνέχεια τις δικές μου κάλτσες;
Giati foras sineheia tis dikes mou kaltses?
Why do you keep wearing my own socks?
Expressions with Possessive Pronouns
1. The pronoun οι δικοί μου /σου/του e.t.c. means my folks and it’s conversational.
«Τι κάνουν οι δικοί σου, Αλέξη;» «Μια χαρά.»
“Ti kanoun i diki sou, Alexi?” “ Mia hara.”
“How are your folks, Alexi?” “They’re fine.”
O Τάσος θα πάει στους δικούς του τα Χριστούγεννα.
O Tasos tha paei stous dikous tou ta Hristougenna.
Tasos will go at his folks’ on Christmas.
2. When newlyweds are congratulated on their wedding they respond to single people by the expression και στα δικά σου or και στα δικά σας. This expression cannot be translated literally.
«Να ζήσετε!» «Ευχαριστούμε, Μαρία! Και στα δικά σου!»
“Na zisete!” “Efharistoume, Maria! Kai sta dika sou!”
“Congratulations! (may you live happily)” “Thank you, Maria! We hope you’ll get married soon!”
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About the Author: Ourania
Ourania lives in Athens. She holds a degree in French Literature and a Master’s degree in Special Education for Children. Since 2008, she has been teaching Greek to foreigners.
Comments:
Eileen:
Thank you for all the wonderful posts! I am learning Greek (siga siga) to speak with my boyfriend. This was very helpful.
Ευχαριστώ!
Ourania:
@Eileen I’m glad I could help. Keep up with yout practice!