Possessive - the struggles are real

[RobstarAU]

It has taken a long time...but I think I finally get it!!

I think I can now translate both 'That is her book' and 'That book is hers' without taking ten attempts.

[thatonebeckfan]

Congrats!! If you don't mind me asking, how did you do so!? I am still confused a bit on possessives in the Indonesian language.

[Velonisia]

Basically for the standard possessive adjective, you put pronoun after the noun like this:

My shoes = sepatu aku or sepatuku

Your shoes (2nd singular pronoun) = sepatu kamu or sepatumu

Your shoes (2nd plural pronoun) = sepatu kalian

His shoes = sepatu dia or sepatunya

Her shoes = sepatu dia or sepatunya

Their shoes = sepatu mereka

Our shoes (exclusive we) = sepatu kami

Our shoes (inclusive we) = sepatu kita

For possessive pronoun, basically like possessive adjective but use 'milik' (milik = belong to) instead of noun, like:

Mine = milikku or milik aku

Yours (2nd singular pronoun) = milikmu or milik kamu

Yours (2nd plural pronoun) = milik kalian

His = miliknya or milik dia

Hers = miliknya or milik dia

Theirs = milik mereka

Ours (exclusive we) = milik kami

Ours (inclusive we) = milik kita

Now I know people would ask, "but usually I heard people would say 'punyaku' instead of 'milikku' in real life?" I believe the standard should be "milik," but still it's okay to use "punya" (to have) even I use that too except when I try to be polite. I don't know if your answer would be accepted though.

[RobstarAU]

Hopefully this makes sense. It does in my head but hard to explain. I have the Tii rule.

This is her book =
Ini bukunya or Ini buku dia

I know the translation starts with Ini (or itu in some cases) because of the Tii rule...T(T)his i(i)s I(i)ni....This is ini

For That book is hers

Buku itu miliknya

There is no Tii. As in there is no 'That is' so the translation doesnt start with Ini or Itu. Which is doesnt, its starts with the object ie buku or pensil.
So if the sentence starts with 'That is' or "This is' then the translations starts with Itu or Ini.

Hope this helps. If not its just lots of practice ;)

Semoga berhasil

[deactivated user]

me too.!