In Northern Pomo, the words for family members cannot stand alone: one must say 'my wife' or 'your wife,' or 'his wife,' etc.
| ES |
| mo:w madahadel k'at̪tʰe | ||||
| mo:w | madahadel | k'at̪ | -tʰe | |
| he | wife.Acc | leave (multiple times) | used to | |
| he used to leave his wife | ||||
| mo:w madahadel k'a: | |||
| mo:w | madahadel | k'a: | |
| he | wife.Acc | leave | |
| he left his wife | |||
| EC | |||
| madahadel t̪iyi k'a:nam mo:w maxoyeʔe | ||||||
| madahadel | t̪iyi | k'a: | -nam | mo:w | maxoyeʔe | |
| wife.Acc | he.Log | leave | the | he | regret | |
| he regrets leaving his wife | ||||||
| EC | ||||||
| my wife | |
| kʰe ma:t̪a | |
| noun | my wife ("my woman") |
| AL | |