Possessive Adjectives
Possessive adjectives show who owns something and agree in gender and number with the thing possessed, not with the owner. This guide goes through each possessive adjective and key exceptions so you can describe belongings clearly.
Key Vocabulary
| French Word(s) | English Word(s) |
|---|---|
| un adjectif possessif | a possessive adjective |
| le possesseur | the owner |
| le genre | gender |
| le nombre | number |
| un nom | a noun |
| une voyelle | a vowel |
| une liaison | a liaison |
| un pluriel | a plural |
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🏠 Je parle de ma maison. | I am talking about my house. |
| 🧳 Tu as ton sac. | You have your bag. |
| 🗝️ Il cherche ses clés. | He is looking for his keys. |
| 🛋️ Nous aimons notre canapé. | We like our sofa. |
| 🧴 Vous avez votre bouteille. | You have your bottle. |
| 📦 Elles rangent leurs affaires. | They are putting away their things. |
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Basic Possessive Adjectives
The basic possessive adjectives in French change form to agree with the noun that follows: mon/ma/mes, ton/ta/tes, son/sa/ses, notre/nos, votre/vos, leur/leurs. Use the masculine form for feminine nouns that begin with a vowel sound.
Examples
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🏠 Voici ma maison. | Here is my house. |
| 🧳 C’est ton sac. | That is your bag. |
| 🗝️ Il a ses clés. | He has his keys. |
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"type":"quiz","exercises":[{"name":"-5a01b3","type":"exercise","question":"fill-in-blank","category":"conjugation","text":"Je _ (aimer) notre quartier.","answer":["aime"],"translation":"I like our neighborhood.","emoji":"🏘️","explanation":"Conjugate the verb 'aimer' for 'je'."},{"name":"-5e1fb5b","type":"exercise","question":"fill-in-blank","category":"vocabulary","text":"C’est (your, familiar) sac.","answer":["ton"],"translation":"It's your bag.","emoji":"🧳","explanation":"Choose the possessive adjective that agrees with masculine singular noun 'sac'."},{"name":"-39ae8c7","type":"exercise","question":"fill-in-blank","category":"vocabulary","text":"Ils ont __ (their) clés.","answer":["ses"],"translation":"They have their keys.","emoji":"🗝️","explanation":"Keys (clés) is plural; the possessive adjective must be plural: 'ses'. (Note: 'leur' vs 'leurs' depends on whether the noun is singular/plural.)"},{"name":"-70fbe64f","type":"exercise","question":"multiple-choice","category":"rule","prompt":"Which possessive adjective would you use for a feminine plural noun?","correct":["tes","mes"],"incorrect":["ton","son","notre"],"emoji":"🔤","explanation":"'Tes' and 'mes' are plural forms for 'your' (familiar) and 'my'. 'Ton' and 'son' are singular masculine (or used before vowels), 'notre' is singular for 'our'."}]
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"Mon", "Ton", "Son" with Feminine Nouns
Normally use ma, ta, sa before feminine nouns, but use mon, ton, son instead if the noun starts with a vowel or mute h to make pronunciation smoother. This prevents awkward breaks and allows a liaison.
Examples
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🪞 Je vois mon miroir. | I see my mirror. |
| 🪟 Tu ranges ton fenêtre. | You put away your window.* |
| 🛏️ Il dort dans son lit. | He sleeps in his bed. |
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"Notre", "Votre", "Leur"
Notre, votre, and leur have only two forms: one for singular nouns and one for plural nouns. They do not change for gender, so use notre before both masculine and feminine singular nouns.
Examples
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🏡 C’est notre jardin. | That is our garden. |
| 🧴 Voici votre bouteille. | Here is your bottle. |
| 📦 Ils ont rangé leurs cartons. | They packed their boxes. |
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Special Expressions
In some expressions, French prefers to use a definite article instead of a possessive adjective, especially with body parts and daily routines. This often depends on whether the owner is clearly specified and on the construction of the sentence.
Examples
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🧑🤝🧑 C’est l’ami de mon frère. | He is my brother’s friend. |
| 🧑🏫 La mère de votre professeur est ici. | Your teacher’s mother is here. |
| 🐶 Leur chien est très gentil. | Their dog is very nice. |
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Summary
Possessive adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun possessed. Use mon, ton, son before vowels for feminine nouns that start with a vowel sound. Remember that notre, votre, and leur do not change for gender, only for number.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025