Persian Possession: My, Your, His/Her
ضمایر ملکی
Learn how to say "my", "your", "his/her" in Persian using possessive suffixes. Master both short forms (دوستم) and full forms (دوست من).
🤔How Possession Works in Persian
In English, we use separate words like my, your, and his. Persian does it differently. Instead of separate words, we attach small suffixes directly to nouns. It's like a possession-backpack!
This is one of the most foundational parts of Persian. We say "my name", "your friend", "his car" — all the time.
🧡Persian Possessive Suffixes
These are the essential suffixes you'll attach to nouns. Master these, and you've mastered Persian possession.
Possessive Suffixes
Attach to any noun
Present Possessive| Pronoun | Persian | English |
|---|---|---|
| من | ـم | my |
| تو | ـت | your (singular) |
| او | ـش | his/her |
| ما | ـمون | our |
| شما | ـتون | your (plural) |
| آنها | ـشون | their |
🔍Two Ways to Express Possession
Persian gives you two ways to show possession. Both are correct, but used in different situations.
1️⃣ Attached Suffix (short, common)
This is the most natural way in spoken and casual written Persian.
2️⃣ Using Ezafe + Pronoun (formal, clear)
This is more emphatic or formal, and sometimes clearer.
🧪Compare Both Forms
Both forms mean exactly the same thing. Choose based on context and formality.
Possession Comparison
Short vs Full Forms
Both Forms Available| Pronoun | Persian | English |
|---|---|---|
| my name | اسمم | اسم من |
| your car | ماشینت | ماشین تو |
| his book | کتابش | کتاب او |
| our house | خونمون | خانهٔ ما |
| their teacher | معلمشون | معلم آنها |
🧠Ezafe in Possession & Stacking
When you say "the book of my friend", Persian uses the Ezafe connector (ـِ).
You can even stack them for complex possession:
🪙Possession with Proper Names
When using names like Ali or Sara, use Ezafe just like other nouns.
🧨"Belongs to..." (مال)
When you want to explicitly say possession (for clarity or emphasis), use مال.
❗Don't Confuse with Verb Endings!
These possessive suffixes look like "to be" endings, but they're different! Context is key.