"Эти книги были от меня."

Translation: Those books were from me.

[kpagcha]

"these books were from me"? Does that even make sense in English? Shouldn't it be "these books were mine"?

[deactivated user]

"These books were mine" would be translated «Э́ти кни́ги бы́ли мои́».

«Э́ти кни́ги бы́ли от меня́» probably means I've sent them as a present or something like that.

[Neri-Black]

These books were mine but I've sent them as a present. Is it right?

[Neon_Iceberg]

Almost correct. This is not necessarily a gift. The meaning is just "these books were mine and I was that person who sent them".

[curtkobain]

"Из" cannot be used in this situation correct?

[4Xwr5]

Те книги были от меня-right?

[Comrade.Potato]

I think I saw one of the exercises that said to use " у кого-то" when describing from somebody and "от чего-то" describing from something. I wonder why it is "от" in this case.

[Krutizov]

What did you mean by that phrase?

[Nenna473538]

Why is it "those books" and not "these books"?