Mine and Yours: nke

Level 1

Nke m, nke gị, nke ya: mine, yours, his or hers.

How It Works

Nke works like English “the one”. With an owner it gives “mine”, “yours” or “Ada's”.

FormMeaning
nke mmine
nke gịyours
nke yahis, hers
nke anyịours
nke AdaAda's, the one belonging to Ada

It often follows bụ: Akwụkwọ a bụ nke m. “This book is mine.” It can also stand alone as the subject: Nke gị dị mma. “Yours is good.”

A pronoun straight after a noun (akwụkwọ m) means “my book”. Use nke when you drop the noun, because the owner alone cannot stand for a thing.

Examples (4)

  1. Akwụkwọ a bụ nke m.

    This book is mine.

    Nke m replaces akwụkwọ m.

  2. Ụlọ ahụ bụ nke Ada.

    That house is Ada's.

    Nke is followed by a name.

  3. Nke gị dị mma.

    Yours is good.

    Nke gị is the subject.

  4. Ego a bụ nke ya.

    This money is his or hers.

    Nke ya after bụ.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Mine and Yours: nkeLevel 1

Learn This First

Nke plus a pronoun uses the pronoun after a noun, so that row comes first.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

nkem