my
/məi/
The Afrikaans word for 'my' is my.
Meaning: belonging to me (det)
How does it change in a sentence?
In Afrikaans, the possessive pronoun my is placed before the noun it describes.
How do you pronounce it?
/məi/
Did you know?
- In Afrikaans, the word my is also used as the object pronoun for 'me'. For example, Sien jy my? means 'Do you see me?'
- When using my in a sentence, Afrikaans does not change the word based on the gender of the object possessed, unlike French or Spanish where 'my' must agree with the noun.
- The word my is a direct descendant of the Dutch mij, meaning that the Afrikaans version for 'me' and 'my' (in certain contexts) shares a common linguistic root with its Germanic ancestors.
Examples in context
- My ma is mal.My mum is crazy.This sentence shows how to use my with a family member.Tatoeba #4332763 by Superdooperhero, translation #4505558 by encikkucing
- My pa drink nie.My father doesn't drink.This sentence demonstrates using my in relation to a father.Tatoeba #5455986 by CJuser01, translation #13116400 by Tom9358
- Dit is my vriend.This is my friend.This sentence illustrates the placement of my before a noun like 'vriend'.Tatoeba #675962 by Diablofire, translation #675960 by CK
- Hier is my huis.Here is my house.
- Dit is my vriendin.This is my friend [female].
- Ek het my boek vergeet.I forgot my book.
- Dit is my motor.This is my car.
- 187 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Andries and Liezel are at a coffee shop.
- AndriesIs dit my koffie?Is this my coffee?
- LiezelNee, dit is nie joune nie.No, it is not yours.
- AndriesEk het my beker vergeet.I forgot my cup.
- LiezelHier is jou beker, Andries.Here is your cup, Andries.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “my” translations and entries my, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries my, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
