Overview of Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns in French replace a noun already mentioned and indicate ownership or possession. Unlike possessive adjectives, possessive pronouns stand alone without a following noun. They agree in gender and number with the noun they replace, not with the owner.
Forms of Possessive Pronouns
French possessive pronouns vary by the gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) of the noun they replace. The basic forms include mien, tien, sien (mine, yours, his/hers/its) and their plural and feminine variants.
Using Possessive Pronouns Instead of Nouns
When you use a possessive pronoun, it takes the place of a noun and a possessive adjective phrase. For example, instead of saying C'est mon livre (It is my book), you say C'est le mien (It is mine).
Conjugations of Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns do not conjugate, but they change form based on the gender and number of the noun they replace. Below is a table illustrating the different forms for singular and plural, masculine and feminine:
| Owner (English) | Masculine Singular | Feminine Singular | Masculine Plural | Feminine Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| mine | le mien | la mienne | les miens | les miennes |
| yours (informal) | le tien | la tienne | les tiens | les tiennes |
| his/hers/its | le sien | la sienne | les siens | les siennes |
| ours | le nôtre | la nôtre | les nôtres | les nôtres |
| yours (formal/plural) | le vôtre | la vôtre | les vôtres | les vôtres |
| theirs | le leur | la leur | les leurs | les leurs |
Examples Using Possessive Pronouns
- Ce stylo est à moi, mais celui-là est le tien.
(This pen is mine, but that one is yours.)
- Nous avons nos livres, et vous avez les vôtres.
(We have our books, and you have yours.)
- Ta voiture est cassée, la mienne marche bien.
(Your car is broken, mine works well.)
Tips on Usage
Remember that possessive pronouns must match the gender and number of the noun they replace, even if the owner is different. In spoken French, possessive pronouns with le, la, les are always used to clarify the noun being replaced.
