Possessive Pronouns

A1 Eiken 3 Beginner

be + mine/yours/his/hers/ours/theirs

Explanation

Possessive pronouns show who owns something. They replace a noun phrase, so you do not repeat the noun after them.

For example, in "This bag is mine," "This bag" is the thing, "is" links it to the owner, and "mine" means "my bag." Japanese often says "私のバッグ" with one phrase, but English can use a pronoun alone. Do not say "This bag is my." Say "This bag is mine."

Examples

  • This bag is mine. このバッグは私のです。
  • Is this pen yours? このペンはあなたのですか。
  • That seat is his. あの席は彼のです。
  • The blue umbrella is hers. あの青い傘は彼女のです。
  • These tickets are ours. このチケットは私たちのです。
  • No, those shoes aren't theirs. いいえ、あの靴は彼らのものではありません。

Common Mistakes

Japanese learners often use a possessive determiner instead of a possessive pronoun.

Wrong: "This is my."

Right: "This is mine."

Wrong: "The bag is her."

Right: "The bag is hers."

After "be," use the pronoun form, not "my/your/her."

Ready to practice? Try a quick fill-in-the-blank quiz on this grammar point.