egen/eget/egne
Own (Egen/eget/egne)
Danish uses egen, eget, and egne to mean 'own'. Unlike most adjectives after a possessive, these forms change to match the noun's gender and number.
How It Works
In Danish, egen functions as an emphasizing adjective. While standard adjectives usually take a fixed -e ending after a possessive (e.g., 'min store bil'), egen is irregular because it maintains gender agreement.
1. The Three Forms:
• Egen is used for common gender singular nouns: min egen bil (my own car).
• Eget is used for neuter gender singular nouns: mit eget hus (my own house).
• Egne is used for all plural nouns: mine egne børn (my own children).
2. Usage with Reflexives:
It is very common to use these with the reflexive possessive sin/sit/sine to clarify that something belongs to the subject of the sentence. For example, 'Han vasker sin egen bil' means he is washing his own car, not someone else's.
3. The Subject Restriction:
Crucially, reflexive forms like sin egen should not replace hans/hendes when forming the ordinary finite clause’s own subject. If the 'owned' item is the subject, you must use the non-reflexive possessives hans/hendes or vores/jeres/deres. For example: 'Hans egen bil er rød' (His own car is red), not 'Sin egen bil...'.
4. Semantic Nuance:
Egen can also mean peculiar or distinctive, but an indefinite article alone does not determine that meaning. An expression such as et eget værelse can mean a room of one’s own; the possessive mit eget værelse makes the owner explicit. For example: 'Han er en egen type' (He is a peculiar type).
5. Fixed Phrases:
You will often see this pattern in idioms like på egen hånd (on one's own/by oneself) or at være sin egen herre (to be one's own boss).
Pronunciation: In the common own meaning, DDO gives egen [ˈɑjən], eget [ˈɑjəð], egne [ˈɑjnə]. The spelling g is not pronounced as a hard stop; the forms contain a glide. Listen to the whole word rather than pronouncing each written letter separately.
Examples (5)
- Jeg har mit eget værelse.
I have my own room.
Word by Word: I have my own room.
Since 'værelse' is a neuter noun (et værelse), we use 'mit' and 'eget'.
- Hun bor i sin egen lejlighed.
She lives in her own apartment.
Word by Word: She lives in her own apartment.
Since 'lejlighed' is common gender (en lejlighed), we use 'sin' and 'egen'.
- De passer deres egne sager.
They mind their own business.
Word by Word: They mind their own things.
Since 'sager' is plural, we use 'egne'.
- Kan du gøre det på egen hånd?
Can you do it on your own?
Word by Word: Can you do it on own hand?
'På egen hånd' is a common idiom meaning 'by oneself' or 'independently'.
- Barnet har sit eget legetøj.
The child has its own toy.
Word by Word: The child has its own toy.
Here 'sit eget' refers back to the subject (barnet) and matches the neuter noun 'legetøj'.
Common Mistakes
Using 'egen' for neuter nouns.
Jeg vil have min egen hus.Jeg vil have mit eget hus.Learners often forget that 'own' must match the noun. 'Hus' is an 'et-word', so you must use 'mit eget'.
Applying the standard 'definite adjective' -e ending to singular nouns.
Min egne bil er rød.Min egen bil er rød.Usually, adjectives after 'min' end in -e (like 'min store bil'). However, 'egen' is irregular and stays 'egen' for common gender singular nouns.
Using 'egen' with a definite article instead of a possessive.
Den egne bil er hurtig.Min egen bil er hurtig.In Danish, 'egen' (meaning 'own') almost exclusively follows a possessive pronoun or a genitive noun. That is the usual learner pattern, not a ban on every definite construction with egen. Den egne bil can be marked or context-dependent; min egen bil is the clear everyday model for my own car.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To use 'egen/eget/egne' correctly, you need to understand how Danish nouns are categorized by gender (en/et) and how possessive pronouns (like 'min' or 'vores') work, as this pattern always follows a possessive. Additionally, it functions like an adjective, so you must be familiar with how adjectives change their endings to match the noun's gender and number.
- min/mit/mineMy
The pattern 'egen/eget/egne' is used specifically after possessive pronouns to emphasize ownership, so understanding basic possessives is essential.
Level 1 - Adjective Agreement
The pattern follows the rules of adjective agreement, where the form changes based on the gender and number (singular vs. plural) of the noun.
Level 2
Related Patterns
- sin/sit/sineReflexive Possessive (Sin/sit/sine)
'Egen' is frequently paired with reflexive possessives to show the subject owns the object.
Level 2 - hans/hendesHis / Her
Non-reflexive possessives are used with 'egen' when the 'owned' item is the subject of the sentence.
Level 1 - vores/jeres/deresOur / Your (Plural) / Their
Plural possessives also require 'egen' to agree with the noun's gender and number.
Level 1 - -s (genitiv)Possessive -s
'Egen' can follow a noun in the genitive case (e.g., 'Peters eget hus').
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice egen/eget/egne in Bubblegum
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