The Reflexive Possessive Pronoun: Свой
The reflexive possessive pronoun свой translates to "one's own" (my own, your own, his own, etc.). It points back to the subject of the sentence to show they own the object.
Свой matches the gender and number of the noun it describes, just like мой and твой:
| Gender / Number | Nominative (Subject) | Accusative (Inanimate Direct Object) |
|---|
| Masculine | свой | свой |
| Neuter | своё | своё |
| Feminine | своя | свою |
| Plural | свои | свои |
Using Свой to mean "One's Own"
In the У + [person] + есть ("to have") construction, use свой to emphasize that someone has their own item.
Actions with Your Own Belongings
When doing something to an object (like losing a wallet or grabbing your headphones), the object takes the accusative case. With "I," "you," or "we," свой is a natural alternative to мой, твой, or наш.
The Third-Person Rule
For the third person ("he," "she," or "they"), using свой is mandatory if the subject owns the object.
Saying Он забывает его пароль (He forgets his password) implies he forgot someone else's password. To say he forgot his own, you must use свой.
Packing and Organizing
You will frequently see свой used for daily routines, packing bags, or putting items in your pocket (карман). Notice how the pronoun matches the noun's gender and number.
