Spanish possessive pronouns replace nouns to indicate ownership, agreeing in gender and number with the thing possessed.
Spanish possessive pronouns stand in for nouns to show who owns something. Unlike English, they match the gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) of the thing being owned. They are placed after the noun (or used alone) and often include an accent to distinguish them from possessive adjectives.
Here are some example sentences using Spanish possessive pronouns. The English equivalent uses “mine,” “yours,” “his,” etc.
- Este libro es mío. — This book is mine.
- La casa es tuya. — The house is yours.
- El coche es suyo. — The car is his/hers/yours/theirs.
- Estos periódicos son nuestros. — These newspapers are ours.
- Las mochilas son vuestras. — The backpacks are yours (plural, Spain).
Why do Spanish possessive pronouns have accent marks (e.g., mío, tuyo)?
The accent marks distinguish pronouns from possessive adjectives.
Accent marks in mío, tuyo, suyo, etc., signal that the word is a pronoun (which stands alone) rather than an adjective (which comes before a noun).
Singular Possessive Pronouns
| Person | Spanish Singular Pronoun | English Equivalent | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| st singular | mío / mía | mine | La pluma es mía. | The pen is mine. |
| nd singular informal | tuyo / tuya | yours | El cuaderno es tuyo. | The notebook is yours. |
| rd singular / Formal 2nd | suyo / suya | his / hers / yours (formal) | La silla es suya. | The chair is his/hers/yours. |
Plural Possessive Pronouns
| Person | Spanish Plural Pronoun | English Equivalent | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| st plural | nuestro / nuestra | ours | El jardín es nuestro. | The garden is ours. |
| nd plural (Spain) | vuestro / vuestra | yours | La mesa es vuestra. | The table is yours. |
| rd plural | suyo / suya | theirs | Los libros son suyos. | The books are theirs. |
- Q: Why do some possessive pronouns have accents?
A: The accent marks (mío, tuyo, suyo, etc.) distinguish the pronoun from the possessive adjective (mi, tu, su).
- Q: Can “suyo” refer to “his,” “hers,” “yours,” and “theirs”?
A: Yes, context clarifies the owner when using "suyo/a/os/as."
- Q: What if the noun is masculine plural?
A: Use the masculine plural form (e.g., míos, tuyos, suyos).
Why do some possessive pronouns end in -a and others in -o?
To match the gender of the noun they replace (feminine -a, masculine -o).
Spanish possessive pronouns agree with the possessed noun’s gender. Masculine nouns take -o forms; feminine nouns take -a forms.
- Spanish possessive pronouns replace nouns to show ownership.
- They agree in gender and number with the thing possessed.
- They contain accent marks to distinguish from adjectives.
- The pronoun “suyo” can mean his, hers, yours (formal), or theirs — context is key.
- Use “nuestro(s)/nuestra(s)” for “ours” and “vuestro(s)/vuestra(s)” for “yours” (plural, Spain).
Flashcards (1 of 6)
- Person: 1st singular
- English Equivalent: mine
- English Example: The pen is mine.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
