tèmi / tìrẹ / tirẹ̀

Independent Singular Possessives

Level 3

Compare àpò mi, ‘my bag’, with tèmi, ‘mine’.

How It Works

Tèmi, tìrẹ and tirẹ̀ identify something belonging to the speaker, one addressee or a third-person singular possessor. They can stand before identification ni or follow an overt noun to distinguish someone's own item. Compare àpò mi, ‘my bag’, with àpò tèmi, ‘my own bag’.

The construction involves mid-tone possessive ti. In ti + èmi → tèmi, contraction retains the pronoun's initial low tone. Learn the different tone patterns of tìrẹ and tirẹ̀: they distinguish owners. Neither marks masculine or feminine gender, and neither changes to agree with several possessed items. Other established singular forms include tìwọ and tòun. Plural ‘theirs’ includes tiwọn or tàwọn. Possessive ti differs from relative tí.

Examples (3)

  1. Tèmi ni fìlà pupa náà.

    That red hat is mine.

    Tèmi identifies the speaker as owner.

  2. Tìrẹ ni àpò yìí.

    This bag is yours.

    Tìrẹ identifies one addressee as owner.

  3. Adé ní yàrá tirẹ̀.

    Adé has his/her own room.

    Tirẹ̀ identifies a third-person singular possessor.

How It Connects

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

tèmi / tìrẹ / tirẹ̀Level 3Independent Singular Possessives

Learn This First

Tèmi means mine, tìrẹ means yours, and tirẹ̀ means his, hers or its.