Bootstrap Russian Grammar

Learn Russian Grammar step-by-step

Russian grammar - Whose? - чей?

Whose? - чей?

When asking the question 'whose?' we use the interrogative possessive pronoun чей?.

As always in Russian the form of чей depends on grammatical case, gender and number.

The declensions of чей in the nominative case are as follows:

чей (masc. singular)

чья (fem. singular)

чьё (neu. singular)

чьи (plural) does not vary with gender.

Examples:
Чьё это?
Whose is this?
Чей этот белый дом?
Whose is this white house?
Чей этот маленький автомобиль?
Whose is this small car?

автомобиль means 'car'

Чьё это место?
Whose is this seat?

место means 'place' or 'seat'

Чьё то место? Это её место.
Whose is that seat? It is her seat.
Чьи те прекрасные дети?
Whose are those beautiful children?
Чьи эти новые книги?
Whose are these new books?
Чей тот карандаш?
Whose is that pencil?

карандаш means 'pencil'

Чьё это? Это моё.
Whose is this? It is mine.

No subject so use neuter.

Чьё это? Это не моё.
Whose is this? It is not mine.

No subject so use neuter.