Possessive adjectives show who owns or is connected to something and agree in gender and number with the thing possessed. This guide covers the main Spanish possessive adjectives and how to use them in context.
Key Vocabulary
| Spanish Word(s) | English Word(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| el esposo | the husband | |
| la esposa | the wife | |
| el hijo | the son | |
| la hija | the daughter | |
| el perro | the dog | |
| la casa | the house | |
| el libro | the book | |
| la mochila | the backpack | |
| la familia | the family | |
| el amigo | the friend | |
| la amiga | the friend (fem.) |
This backpack is for school.
| Spanish Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| 🧳 mi maleta | my suitcase | |
| 🧴 tu protector | your sunscreen | |
| 🗺️ su mapa | his/her/their map | |
| 🏖️ nuena toalla | our towel | |
| 🛫 vuestro asiento | your (pl.) seat | |
| 🧭 su brújula | their compass |
Short Possessive Adjectives
Short possessive adjectives go before nouns and agree in gender and number with the thing owned; they are used for familiar relationships.
| English | Spanish Short Adjective | |
|---|---|---|
| my | mi / mis | |
| your (familiar) | tu / tus | |
| his / her / your (formal) | su / sus | |
| our | nuestro(a) / nuestros(as) | |
| your (plural) | vuestro(a) / vuestros(as) | |
| their / your (plural formal) | su / sus |
Long Possessive Adjectives
Long possessive adjectives use de plus the owner and emphasize or clarify ownership; they come after the noun.
| English | Spanish Long Adjective | |
|---|---|---|
| mine | mío(a) / míos(as) | |
| yours (familiar) | tuyo(a) / tuyos(as) | |
| his / hers / yours (formal) | suyo(a) / suyos(as) | |
| ours | nuestro(a) / nuestros(as) | |
| yours (plural) | vuestro(a) / vuestros(as) | |
| theirs / yours (plural formal) | suyo(a) / suyos(as) |
Examples
Special Cases
Use short possessives su*, *sus carefully because they can be ambiguous; use long forms with de plus the owner to clarify when needed.
Summary
Short possessive adjectives like mi, tu and su go before nouns and agree in gender and number; long forms like mío and tuyo add emphasis and follow the noun with de to show the owner explicitly.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025