Possessive Adjectives
Possessive adjectives show who owns something and agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. This guide goes over the short and long forms and when to use each.
Short Forms
Short possessive adjectives come before the noun and agree in gender and number. They are: mi, tu, su, nuestro, vuestro, and su.
| Short Spanish Word | Short English Word |
|---|---|
| mi | my |
| tu | your |
| su | his/her/your/their |
| nuestro / nuestra | our |
| vuestro / vuestra | your (plural) |
| Spanish Example | English Translation | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 🥘 Mi plato está aquí. | My plate is here. | Owned plate nearby |
| 🥗 Tu ensalada se ve fresca. | Your salad looks fresh. | Addressing friend |
| 🍞 Su pan está en la canasta. | His/Her/Their bread is in the basket. | Neutral notice |
| 🍵 Nuestro té está listo. | Our tea is ready. | Shared drink |
| 🍰 Vuestra tarta tiene muchas frutas. | Your (pl.) tart has many fruits. | Formal or regional |
| 🧃 Sus jugos están en la nevera. | Their juices are in the fridge. | Group’s drinks |
Long Forms
Long possessive adjectives emphasize the owner and come after the noun, and they agree in gender and number. They are formed with mío, tuyo, suyo, nuestro, vuestro.
| Long Spanish Word | Long English Word |
|---|---|
| mío / mía | mine |
| tuyo / tuya | yours |
| suyo / suya | his/hers/yours/theirs |
| nuestro / nuestra | ours |
| vuestro / vuestra | yours (plural) |
| Spanish Example | English Translation | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 🍽️ El plato es mío. | The plate is mine. | Emphatic ownership |
| 🥄 La cuchara es tuya. | The spoon is yours. | Direct address |
| 🥫 La lata es suya. | The can is his/hers/theirs. | Clarifying owner |
| 🍶 La botella es nuestra. | The bottle is ours. | Shared possession |
| 🧉 La jarra es vuestra. | The pitcher is yours (pl.). | Formal or regional emphasis |
| 🍊 Las frutas son suyas. | The fruits are theirs. | Plural owner |
When to Use Long Forms
Use long forms to add emphasis, to avoid ambiguity, or after prepositional phrases. They can also signal more affect or distance. Short forms are more common for neutral possession.
| Spanish Example | English Translation | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 🍴 ¿Este tenedor es tuyo o mío? | Is this fork yours or mine? | Clarifying possession |
| 🥡 El paquete es suyo, no del camarero. | The package is theirs, not the waiter’s. | Avoiding confusion |
| 🧺 La cesta es nuestra, no de los vecinos. | The basket is ours, not the neighbors’. | Defining ownership |
| 📢 ¡El libro es mío! | The book is mine! | Strong claim |
| 🙋 La copa es tuya, por favor. | The glass is yours, please. | Polite notice |
Agreement
Both short and long possessive adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify or replace. Paying attention to endings ensures clear and natural sentences.
Summary
Short possessive adjectives like mi and tu go before the noun for straightforward ownership. Long forms like mío and tuyo come after the noun to emphasize or clarify the owner.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025