کا / کی / کے

Possessive Agreement

Level 1

Look at the second noun, not the owner, to choose کا, کی or کے.

How It Works

سارا کا قلم means Sara’s pen. قلم is masculine singular, so use کا.

With feminine کتاب, say سارا کی کتاب. The same owner now has a different linker.

For plural جوتے, use سارا کے جوتے. Before a postposition, سارا کے جوتوں میں uses the oblique plural.

Possessive links can express association as well as ownership. The possessed noun still controls the form.

Examples (5)

  1. سارا کا قلم میز پر ہے۔

    Sara’s pen is on the table.

    قلم is masculine singular, so use کا.

  2. سارا کی کتاب نئی ہے۔

    Sara’s book is new.

    کتاب is feminine, so use کی.

  3. سارا کے جوتے باہر ہیں۔

    Sara’s shoes are outside.

    جوتے is masculine plural, so use کے.

  4. سارا کے جوتوں میں ریت ہے۔

    There is sand in Sara’s shoes.

    جوتوں is an oblique plural before میں.

  5. سارا کی کتابیں نئی ہیں۔

    Sara’s books are new.

    کی stays the same with the feminine plural کتابیں.

Common Mistakes

  • Choosing from the owner’s gender.

    سارا کا کتاب نئی ہے۔
    سارا کی کتاب نئی ہے۔

    کتاب is feminine, so the linker is کی regardless of Sara’s gender.

How It Connects

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

کا / کی / کےLevel 1Possessive Agreement

Learn This First

The possessive marker agrees with the possessed noun. The marker follows the phrase identifying the possessor.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

And 15 more in the full list.

Words in This Pattern

کا