Minun

Minun is a Finnish word that functions as a possessive pronoun and determiner, meaning “my” or “mine.” It marks the first-person singular possessor and is used in two related roles: as an independent pronoun and as a word that can accompany a noun for emphasis or clarity.

In ordinary Finnish, possession is usually shown with suffixes attached to the noun (for example taloni = my house, talosi = your house, talonsa = his/her house). The independent possessive pronoun minun exists for emphasis or when the possessor is the focus, and it can stand alone as a predicative pronoun (Se on minun, meaning “It’s mine”). The full set of independent possessive pronouns is minun, sinun, hänen, meidän, teidän, heidän, and they do not change for gender or number.

Examples:

- Se on minun. (It is mine.)

- Tämä kirja on minun. (This book is mine.)

- Talo on minun, mutta autot ovat sinun. (The house is mine, but the cars are yours.)

Etymology and grammar note:

Minun derives from the genitive form of minä (I) and shares its possessive function with other independent pronouns such as sinun (your), hänen (his/her), meidän (our), teidän (your, plural), and heidän (their). In everyday speech, speakers usually rely on noun suffixes to express possession, reserving minun for emphasis or when the possessor’s role needs stress or clarity.

Related topics include the Finnish possessive suffix system and the use of independent possessive pronouns in predicative or contrastive contexts.