Spanish possessive adjectives and pronouns show ownership and must agree in gender and number with the nouns they modify, not with the owner.
- Possessive Adjectives: mi(s), tu(s), su(s), nuestro/a(s), vuestro/a(s)
- Possessive Pronouns: mío/a(s), tuyo/a(s), suyo/a(s), nuestro/a(s), vuestro/a(s)
- Agreement: Match the noun's gender and number (e.g., su libro, sus libros)
The possessive adjectives are mi, tu, su, nuestro, vuestro. 'ellos' is a subject pronoun, not a possessive adjective.
Spanish possessives agree with the gender and number of the noun, not the owner.
Correct forms for 'our' are nuestro, nuestra, nuestros, nuestras.
Possessive Adjectives
Possessive adjectives are used before nouns to show ownership:
Singular: mi, tu, su, nuestro/a, vuestro/a
Plural: mis, tus, sus, nuestros/as, vuestros/as
Example:
- Mi casa (My house)
- Mis perros (My dogs)
- Nuestra escuela (Our school)
'Su' and 'sus' are used for his, her, your (formal), and their.
'Nuestro coche' (singular); 'Nuestros coches' (plural).
Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns replace nouns and show ownership:
Singular: mío/a, tuyo/a, suyo/a, nuestro/a, vuestro/a
Plural: míos/as, tuyos/as, suyos/as, nuestros/as, vuestros/as
They must agree in gender and number with the thing possessed, not the owner.
Example:
- El libro es mío (The book is mine)
- Las revistas son mías (The magazines are mine)
The possessive pronouns for 'mine' are mío, mía, míos, mías.
'Las llaves son nuestras.' (Feminine plural to match 'llaves.')
Agreement Rules
| Owner | Singular (Masc./Fem.) | Plural (Masc./Fem.) |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Person | mi / mi(a) | mis / mis(a) |
| 2nd Person | tu / tuya | tus / tuyas |
| 3rd Person | su / suya | sus / suyas |
| We | nuestro/a | nuestros/as |
| You all | vuestro/a | vuestros/as |
- Use adjectives before the noun (mi casa, mis casas).
- Use pronouns after the verb and alone (La casa es mía).
For 'your (plural informal) book' in Spain, use 'vuestro libro.'
Possessive pronouns replace the noun, while possessive adjectives are used before the noun.