Language/Lingala/Grammar/POSSESSIVES

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POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES AND PRONOUNS IN LINGALA

Lingala possessive pronouns and adjectives are the same.

They derived from personal pronouns.

In lingala, we literally say noun + of + possessor.

The preposition "of" is "ya" or "na".

Personal pronouns

Let's review personal pronouns first!

  1. I/me = nga(i)
  2. You/you = yo
  3. He/him = ye
  4. She/her = ye
  5. It/it = e
  6. We/us = biso
  7. You/you = bino (many people)
  8. They/them = bango

Possessive adjectives

Then let's learn possessive adjectives

My = noun + (na) nga

Do you know my name? = Oyebi kombo na ngai?

Your = noun + (na) yo

I saw your brother yesterday. = namonaki ndeko nayo lobi.

His = noun + (na) ye

His phone is broken = Telefoni naye ekufi.

Her = noun + (na) ye

Her husband is sick = Mobali naye azo bela.

Its = noun + (na) ngo

Here's the guest room, but its bed isn't good = Oyo eza chambre ya bapaya, kasi mbetu nango eza malumu te.

Our = noun + (na) biso

Our house isn't big, but it's beautiful = Ndaku na biso eza munene te, kasi eza kitoko.

Your = noun + (na) bino (belonging to many people)

Your children are very clever = bana na bino baza mayele mingi.

Their = noun + (na) bango

Their parents got to Kinshasa last week = baboti na bango bakomaki na Kinshasa poso eleki.

Possessive pronouns

Finally, we have to conclude by making sentences with possessive pronouns as we have already learned their adjectives (determiners).

Mine = yanga

This is my phone, it's mine = oyo eza telefoni nanga, eza yanga.

Yours = yayo

Is your handbag? > No. It isn't my handbag. It's yours. = Oyo eza saki nayo? > Te. Eza saki nanga te. Eza yayo.

His = yaye

Your shoes are clean, but his are dirty = Basapatu nayo eza pete kasi yaye eza mbindo.

Hers = Yaye

Your parents speak French and Lingala, but hers speak only Lingala. = Baboti nayo balobaka lopoto(falanse) na lingala kasi yaye balobaka kaka lingala.

Its = na yango (not common)

Ours = ya biso

That big house is ours = Ndaku ya munene wana eza ya biso.

Yours = Ya bino (belonging to many people)

Our country is rich and yours is rich, too. = Mboka na biso eza na bozui, ya bino pe eza na bozui.

Theirs = Ya bango

My children are all here, but theirs live abroad = Bana nanga nionso baza awa kasi ya bango bavandaka na mboka mopaya.

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