Language/Samoan/Grammar/Possessive-Pronouns

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Samoan → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Pronouns and Possessives → Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns are used in Samoan to indicate ownership or possession of an object or idea. They replace nouns or noun phrases and are placed before the noun they modify. In this lesson, you will learn how to express possession in Samoan using possessive pronouns like "my", "your", "his", "her", "our", and "their".

Possessive pronouns

In Samoan, there are six possessive pronouns that correspond to the six personal pronouns from the previous lesson:

Samoan	Pronunciation	English
ou	oh-oo	my
lou	low	your (singular)
ona	oh-nah	his/her/its
tatou	tah-toh-oo	our (inclusive)
matou	mah-toh-oo	our (exclusive)
lau	lah-oo	your (plural) / their

Note that the possessive pronoun "ona" can mean "his", "her", or "its" depending on the gender (or lack thereof) of the noun being possessed.

Examples

Here are some examples of how to use possessive pronouns in Samoan:

• O le tino o lou tama = The body of your father
• O le toto ona teine = The blood of her daughter
• O le atunu'u o tatou = The country of ours (inclusive)
• O le tautua a matou = The service of ours (exclusive)
• O le 'ava o lau aiga = The kava of your family / their family

As you can see, possessive pronouns are used instead of the noun being possessed. They agree with the person (first, second, third), number (singular, plural), and inclusivity/exclusivity (when indicating "our").

Exercises

Practice using possessive pronouns by translating the following sentences from English to Samoan:

1. My house is big.
2. Their parents are proud.
3. Her hair is long.
4. Our village is beautiful.
5. Your (plural) children are smart.

Answers:

1. O lo'u fale e tele.
2. O lau latou matua e fia malie.
3. O lona lau e lo'o lo'o.
4. O lo tatou nu'u e fia fiafia.
5. O lau aiga o lo'o faitioina.

Table of Contents - Samoan Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

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Pronouns and Possessives

• Personal Pronouns
• Possessive Pronouns

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Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Relationship Status

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Verb Conjugation and Tense

• Present Tense
• Past Tense
• Future Tense

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Food and Dining

• Common Foods
• Eating Out

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Questions and Negation

• Asking Questions
• Negative Statements

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Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Directions and Locations

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Samoan Traditions and Customs

• Traditional Celebrations
• Customs and Etiquette

Other Lessons

• Future Tense
• Negative Statements
• Present Tense
• 0 to A1 Course
• Give your Opinion
• Plurals
• Questions
• How to Use Be
• Conditional Mood

Sources

• Describing Objects - Samoan Language Resources
• Samoan Grammar | LEARN101.ORG
• A Manual for the Study and Teaching of the Samoan Language as ...

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