minha

Minha is the feminine singular form of the Portuguese possessive determiner meaning "my." It is used before feminine singular nouns to indicate ownership, as in minha casa (my house) or minha amiga (my friend).

Forms and agreement: Portuguese possessive determiners agree with the noun they modify. The main related forms are meu (masculine singular), minha (feminine singular), meus (masculine plural), and minhas (feminine plural). Examples: meu carro, minha casa, meus livros, minhas ideias. When the possessed noun is feminine and singular, minha is used; for masculine nouns, the form is meu.

As a pronoun: In addition to its use as a determiner, minha can function as a possessive pronoun when the noun is understood or omitted, often with a definite article. For example, A minha é mais cara means "Mine is more expensive" or "My one is more expensive," depending on context. This usage is common in everyday speech in both Brazilian and European Portuguese.

Etymology and usage: Minha derives from the Latin meā patria or meus, evolving into the modern Portuguese gendered forms. It remains widely used across dialects of Portuguese, with the same gender-number agreement rules applying in Brazil and Portugal.

Summary: Minha marks feminine singular possession and agrees with the noun it modifies. Its plural form is minhas, and its masculine counterpart is meu (with meus for masculine plural). It can also stand as a pronoun when the possessed noun is implicit, producing phrases like "A minha é..." to mean "Mine is..." in context.