The invention relates to an improved process for the production of polyamines containing urethane and/or urea and/or biuret and/or isocyanurate groups and, preferably, also alkylene ether, carbonate and/or acetal groups by the alkaline hydrolysis of corresponding compounds containing terminal aliphatic and/or aromatic isocyanate groups.To this end, the compounds containing terminal NCO-groups, preferably NCO-preadducts, are converted by means of selected bases into the carbamates and neutralized by introduction into equivalent quantities of acid or by the simultaneous introduction of the components in equivalent quantities into a reaction vessel, after which the polyamines are directly isolated by methods known per se.The invention also relates to the use of the polyamines obtained by the process for the production of polyurethanes.