اپنا / اپنی / اپنے

Referring Back to the Subject's Possession

Level 2

Keep the owner reference separate from the ending.

How It Works

The same person can use different endings: مریم اپنا قلم ڈھونڈ رہی ہے and مریم اپنی چابی ڈھونڈ رہی ہے. Changing the item changes the possessive form without changing its owner.

A noun phrase before a postposition can require اپنے: مریم اپنے کمرے میں ہے. The room is still singular.

Compare اس کی with اپنی when the owner matters. اس کی can point to another person. In a simple clause with a clear subject, اپنی points back to that subject; more complex clauses have additional rules for identifying the owner.

Examples (4)

  1. مریم اپنی چابی ڈھونڈ رہی ہے۔

    Maryam is looking for her own key.

    The subject is the owner; the key controls اپنی.

  2. بلال اپنا بستہ کھول رہا ہے۔

    Bilal is opening his own bag.

    Masculine بستہ selects اپنا.

  3. ہم اپنی کتابیں لائے ہیں۔

    We have brought our own books.

    Feminine plural کتابیں selects اپنی.

  4. مریم اپنے کمرے میں ہے۔

    Maryam is in her own room.

    The postposition phrase takes masculine oblique اپنے.

How It Connects

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

اپنا / اپنی / اپنےLevel 2Referring Back to the Subject's Possession

Learn This First

Match the possessive form to the possessed noun. Identify the local subject that the reflexive possessive refers back to.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

اپنا