svými

svými is the instrumental plural form of the Czech possessive determiner svůj, used to express possession by the subject in phrases that require the instrumental case. It translates roughly as “one’s own” and is used to indicate that the things belong to the subject of the clause. The form accompanies plural nouns in the instrumental case and agrees with the possessor rather than the possessed noun.

In use, svými marks ownership by the subject and appears before a plural noun in instrumental position. Common contexts include phrases like se svými kamarády (with his/her own friends), se svými slovy (in his/her own words), or svými činy (with one’s own deeds). It is applicable regardless of the gender of the possessor or the noun being described, as long as the instrumental plural is required.

Etymology and related forms: svůj derives from Proto-Slavic *svojъ* and has cognates in other Slavic languages, such as Russian свой and Polish swój. Czech uses a set of reflexive possessive forms (svůj, svá, své, sví, etc.) that agree with the possessor in person and number and with the noun in gender and number when necessary. svými is specifically the instrumental plural form used with plural nouns.

See also: svůj, Czech grammar, possessive pronouns.