Learning English - Modern Greek

The possessive pronouns in Modern Greek

A possessive form is a grammatical construction used to indicate a relationship of possession.

In MG we have two kinds:

1

This type is derived from the 2nd case of the weak personal pronoun, to indicate the possession of a person. These possessive pronouns are not inflected:

Singular - ενικός αριθμός		Plural - πληθυντικός αριθμός
μου	my	μας	our
σου	your	σας	your
του	his	τους	their
της	her	τους	their

Some examples in sentences:

ελληνικά	αγγλικά
Η Ελένη έχασε το πορτοφόλι της.	Helen lost her wallet.
Ο Πέτρος και η Εύα διαβάζουν τα μαθήματά τους μαζί.	Peter and Eve learn their lessons together.
Θα συνεχίζουμε τις προσπάθειές μας.	We will continue our attempts.
Η δουλειά σας δεν έχει τελειώσει.	Your work hasn't been finished yet.
Τους ευχαριστώ για το έργο τους.	I thank them for their work.
Η στάση τους προς τον αντίπαλό του άνοιξε πόρτες.	Their attitude towards his opponent opened up doors.
Δεν έχουμε αυτή τη λέξη στο λεξικό μας.	That word does not exist in our dictionary.
Η αδελφή σου τηλεφώνησε σήμερα!	Your sister called today!

Sometimes the possessive pronound is placed between the adjective and the noun, as in :«το παλιό μου παλτό» - my old coat.

2

The emphasized form whereat the 2nd case of the weak personal pronoun is supplemented with the adjective «δικός». This is a combination of a pronoun preceded by a determiner, which is used to give emphasis or to make a distinction. The forms are declined according to the type adjective with «-ός, -ή, -ό» - endings, in the masculine, feminine and neuter forms viz: «δικός μου», «δική μου», «δικό μου» in compliance with the noun, defining the gender, the case and the singular and plural, whereas the combination can also occur independently qualifying a noun:

ελληνικά

ο δικός μου καναπές
ο δικός μου
η δική μου μητέρα
η δική μου
το δικό μου βιβλίο
το δικό μου
οι δικοί μου φίλοι
οι δικοί μου
του δικού μου αδελφός
του δικού μου

αγγλικά

my (own) couch
mine
my (own) mother
mine
my (own) book
mine
my (own) friends
mine
of my (own) brother
of mine

Singular - ενικός αριθμός		Plural - πληθυντικός αριθμός
(δικός) μου	mine	(δικός) μας	ours
(δικός) σου	yours	(δικός) σας	yours
(δικός) του	his	(δικός) τους	theirs
(δικός) της	hers	(δικός) τους	theirs

ελληνικά	αγγλικά
1Το δικό του σπίτι είναι προς πώληση.	His own house is for sale.
2Θα ήθελε δικό της σπίτι.	She would like her own house.
3Το κόκκινο ποδήλατο είναι δικό της.	The red bicycle is hers.
4Αυτό το μεγάλο σπίτι είναι δικό μας.	That big house is ours.
5Θα πάμε στη μητέρα μου ή στη δική σου;	Are we going to my mother or to yours?
6Δεν το λέμε στους γονείς σου, αλλά στους δικούς μου.	We don't tell it to your parents, but to mine.
7Όλα τα θέλουν δικά τους.	They want it all for themselves.
8Θέλω να κάνω τα πάντα δικά μου.	I want to do it all my own way.
9Πώς είναι οι δικοί σου;	How are your folks (children, family)?
10Ένας ξένος χτύπησε την πόρτα μας, δεν ήταν δικός μας.	A stranger knocked on our door, not one of our own

The combination with «δικός» tells something about the subject:

In sent. 1 + 2 it is used adverbially, equivalent to my own

In sent. 3 + 4 it is used as a predicate, equivalent to hers, his etc.

In sent. 5 + 6 it is used as an object of a preposition to your (mother).

In sent. 7 + 8 it is used with a supplement to a predicate.

In sent. 9 + 10 «Δικός μου» without a noun is often used to denote one of our relatives, one of our own children or one of our own people

«Δικός μου» is preceded by a definite article, only if the noun that it modifies is definite too and not vice versa.

* In the feminine singular the adverb «δικός» may get the ending «-ιά», the same as in «η δικιά μου μητέρα» - my own mother

English - Modern Greek

The possessive pronouns in Modern Greek

A possessive form is a grammatical construction used to indicate a relationship of possession.

In MG we have two kinds:

1

Some examples in sentences:

2

Extra accent on a noun

Nouns with three syllables and the stress on the third syllable from behind get an extra stress on the syllable preceding the possessive pronoun: