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mine と my() Mine and My: Owning With and Without the Noun

Pronouns

my はとセット(my bag)、mine はで「のもの」(That bag is mine.)。yours・his・hers・ours・theirs もみです。が a friend of mine(友達一人)——my friend とのいまでかれば、このです。

My needs its noun (my bag); mine stands alone (That bag is mine). Yours, his, hers, ours, theirs all follow suit. The advanced move is a friend of mine — master how it differs from my friend and you've graduated.

れた my、ちの mine

My Brings the Noun; Mine Walks Alone

my はのようにき、ではてません。をもういたくないとき、my +をまるごとけるのが mine です: "Whose umbrella is this?" "It's mine."(? ——の)。mine = my umbrella の圧縮形が your/yours、her/hers、our/ours、their/theirs ときます(his だけは)。

My works like an adjective: glued to its noun, never alone. When you'd rather not repeat the noun, mine absorbs the whole my + noun package: "Whose umbrella is this?" "It's mine." Mine = my umbrella, compressed. The same pairing runs through your/yours, her/hers, our/ours, their/theirs — with his pulling double duty.

圧縮形 The compressed forms at work

That seat is mine, and this one is yours.

そのので、こっちがあなたの。

しを mine / yours が Mine and yours soak up the repeated noun.

My car is older than hers.

のよりい。

でも(hers = her car)。 Comparisons love them: hers = her car.

A なぜ a なのか めてつ】 がまだらないものをめてすから a。じものをすときは the にわる。 friend of mine lives in London.

友達一人がロンドンにんでいる。

へ。 The introduction formula — see below.

my friend

できる(の)友達、または「友達全般 The friend you both can place — or friends in general. Context decides.

I went to Kyoto with my friend Yuki.

友達のユキとった。

a friend of mine

「(かいる)友達のうちの一人」。にちょうどいい。 One friend out of several — perfect for first mentions.

A friend of mine works at that company.

友達一人があのいてるんだ。

よくある Common Mistake

"Whose phone is this?" "It's my."

「これのスマホ?」「の」(のつもりで)

"Whose phone is this?" "It's mine."

「これのスマホ?」「の」

my はなしではてません。日本語の「の」はえるので、そののまま my でめるのがえるときはず mine / yours / hers の圧縮形です。

My can't stand without its noun. Japanese の works alone, and carrying that habit over is the classic slip. Standing alone, it must be the compressed forms: mine, yours, hers.

  • a friend of mine 友達一人 a と my のを of mine でした The introduction formula born of the a-vs-my slot conflict.
  • The pleasure is mine. こちらこそ。 「そのびはのもの」=おまり "The pleasure belongs to me" — the graceful return of thanks.
  • on my own で・一人 own は調。by myself と Own intensifies possession — by myself's twin.
  • mind your own business なお 面倒ろ」。own のいた "Tend to your own affairs" — own, at full push-back strength.

まとめ Summary

  • my +/ mine 。yours・hers・ours・theirs も My + noun; mine alone — with yours, hers, ours, theirs in step.
  • えは圧縮形(It's mine.)。 Standing answers take the compressed form: It's mine.
  • a friend of mine =友達一人()。 A friend of mine: one of my friends — the introduction formula.
  • a と my はけない。of mine でする。 A and my can't share the slot — of mine is the detour.

: 2026-07-23 Last checked: 2026-07-23