Sin/Sitt/Sine (Reflexive Possessive)
Sin/sitt/sine
Sin/sitt/sine refer back to the subject of the sentence. 'Han liker bilen sin' (He likes his own car) vs. 'Han liker bilen hans' (He likes his [someone else's] car). This distinction doesn't exist in English.
Rule
sin (masc/fem) / sitt (neut) / sine (plural) — refers to subject
Examples
Hun leser boken sin.
She reads her (own) book.
Han vasker huset sitt.
He washes his (own) house.
De liker vennene sine.
They like their (own) friends.
Common Mistake
Han liker bilen hans. (meaning his own)
Han liker bilen sin.
Using 'hans' when referring to the subject's own possession changes the meaning to someone else's car. 'Sin/sitt/sine' must be used for reflexive possession.
English vs Norwegian
| English | Norsk |
|---|---|
| She reads her (own) book. | Hun leser boken sin. |
| He washes his (own) house. | Han vasker huset sitt. |
| They like their (own) friends. | De liker vennene sine. |
English
She reads her (own) book.
Norsk
Hun leser boken sin.
English
He washes his (own) house.
Norsk
Han vasker huset sitt.
English
They like their (own) friends.
Norsk
De liker vennene sine.