の

の links two nouns, with the first noun modifying the second: 私の本 (my book), 日本語の先生 (Japanese teacher).

The order is the reverse of Vietnamese: Vietnamese says "sách của tôi" (thing first, person after), while Japanese says 私の本 (person first, thing after). Remember: the word AFTER の is the head noun of the phrase.

の is not just possessive "of" — it also marks origin, material, and type: 日本の車 (a Japanese car), 大学の友達 (a friend from university).

Examples

• これは私(わたし)の本(ほん)です。

  This is my book.

• 日本語(にほんご)の先生(せんせい)は親切(しんせつ)です。

  My Japanese teacher is very kind.

• あれは友達(ともだち)の車(くるま)です。

  That over there is my friend's car.

Related patterns

• は
• これ・それ・あれ・どれ
• この・その・あの・どの