Possession With a Noun
A noun in the genitive can identify who or what another noun belongs to. It also expresses relationships such as a part of a whole.
How It Works
In sestra mojega prijatelja, sestra names the main person and mojega prijatelja identifies whose sister she is. The modifier mojega agrees with genitive prijatelja.
This construction does not require a separate word for English of or an apostrophe-s. The head noun takes whatever case the larger sentence needs, while the dependent genitive keeps its own role.
Not every genitive relationship is literal ownership. Krov kuće is a part-whole relationship. Possessive adjectives such as Anin provide another construction, especially with names; choose an appropriate expression rather than assuming the two always have identical emphasis.
Examples (3)
- Krov kuće je crven.
The house’s roof is red.
Kuće identifies the whole to which the roof belongs.
- Sestra mojega prijatelja radi ovdje.
My friend’s sister works here.
The genitive phrase names the related person.
- Čitam knjigu tvoje sestre.
I am reading your sister’s book.
Knjigu is accusative, while tvoje sestre remains the dependent genitive.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The governing word selects a genitive noun phrase, so identify the genitive form before expanding this construction.
Related Patterns
Practice Possession With a Noun in Bubblegum
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