Mii, tvii, svii, ikhnii: whose is it
The first three are well-behaved. Mii, tvii and svii decline like adjectives, with i in the masculine and o elsewhere: moya, moye, moi. For example: “Візьми свій ключ, не мій” — Take your own key, not mine. A rule from the Ukrainian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
The first three are well-behaved. Mii, tvii and svii decline like adjectives, with i in the masculine and o elsewhere: moya, moye, moi.
Yoho and yii never change at all: yoho knyzhka, yoho knyzhky, z yoho knyzhkoiu. They are a frozen of form and refuse every ending. But ikhnii bends like any adjective: ikhnia khata, ikhnie avto, ikhni dity.
Svii works harder than English own. When the thing belongs to the doer, Ukrainian wants it: ia vziav svoiu valizu. Say moiu valizu instead and the suitcase sounds borrowed.
Two lookalikes live nearby: sam means by myself, on my own (ia zrobiv sam), while samyi means the very same (te same). One letter of difference, opposite jobs.
Table
| the pronoun | does it bend | example |
|---|---|---|
| mii, tvii, svii | yes | moya, moye, moi |
| yoho, yii | never | yoho knyzhka, z yoho knyzhkoiu |
| ikhnii | yes | ikhnia, ikhnie, ikhni |
By example
- Візьми свій ключ, не мійTake your own key, not mine
- Їхній будинок стоїть за рогомTheir house stands around the corner
- Це його справа, не нашаThat is his business, not ours
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
Yoho knyzhka: possessives that never bend?
The first three are well-behaved. Mii, tvii and svii decline like adjectives, with i in the masculine and o elsewhere: moya, moye, moi.
What does it look like in an example sentence Ukrainian?
“Візьми свій ключ, не мій” — Take your own key, not mine. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.