Possessive Constructions in Somali

Somali has multiple ways to express possession. The most common are possessive suffixes, but there are also verbal and phrasal constructions.

1. Possessive Suffixes

Attach directly to the noun:

Person	Suffix	Example (guri — house)
my	-ayga / -gayga	gurigayga
your (sing.)	-aaga / -gaaga	gurigaaga
his	-iisa	gurigiisa
her	-eeda	gurigeeda
our	-eenna	gurigeenna
your (plur.)	-iinna	gurigiinna
their	-ooda	gurigooda

2. The Verb “Leeyahay” (to have/own)

Waxaan leeyahay guri. — I have a house. Wuxuu leeyahay baabuur. — He has a car. Ma lihid lacag? — Do you not have money?

3. Genitive Construction

For compound possession, use the particle ee or simple juxtaposition:

guriga Cali — Cali’s house buugga macalinka — the teacher’s book

Important Notes

• Feminine nouns use a different suffix set with -t-:

  hooyo → hooyaday (my mother) naag → naagtiisa (his wife)

• Body parts and family members often use the possessive directly without an article:

  gacantayda — my hand walaalkay — my brother