FornöfnA1

Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns: minn/mín/mitt, þinn/þín/þitt, hans/hennar/þess, etc.

Learning Goal

Can use possessive pronouns correctly, placing them after the noun with gender agreement

Exam Skills:VISC-A1

Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?

Hesturinn minn er brúnn.

My horse is brown.

Bókin hennar er á borðinu.

Her book is on the table.

Barnið mitt sefur.

My child is sleeping.

Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?

Íslensk eignarfornöfn beygjast eftir kyni og falli eignarinnar (ekki eigandans):

EigandiKarlkynKvenkynHvorugkyn
égminnmínmitt
þúþinnþínþitt
hannhans (óbreytanlegt)
húnhennar (óbreytanlegt)
þaðþess (óbreytanlegt)
viðokkar (óbreytanlegt)
þiðykkar (óbreytanlegt)
þeir/þær/þauþeirra (óbreytanlegt)

Mikilvægt: 1. og 2. persóna (minn, þinn) beygjast eftir kyni eignarinnar. 3. persóna (hans, hennar) er óbreytanleg.

Staða: Eignarfornöfn koma á eftir nafnorðinu: bókin mín (my book), EKKI *mín bók.

Putting possessives before the noun (*minn hestur) instead of after (hesturinn minn). Using hans/hennar that agree with the possessor, not the possessed noun. 🇬🇧 English speakers: English puts possessives before: 'my book'. Icelandic puts them after: bókin mín. Major word order change.

Hesturinn minn er brúnn.

My horse is brown.

Minn = my (m.). Possessive after noun: hesturinn minn.

Bókin hennar er á borðinu.

Her book is on the table.

Hennar = her (invariable). Borðinu = table (dative).

Barnið mitt sefur.

My child is sleeping.

Mitt = my (neuter). Agrees with barn, not with the speaker.

Practice in course

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

A1 Course
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