Possessive Adjectives Flashcards
Spanish Demystified
Possessive Adjectives
Possessive adjectives (my, your, his, her, our, their) are used to show ownership or possession of something, or a relationship to someone. Unlike in English, possessive adjectives in Spanish can be singular or plural and agree with the words they modify. Note that tu(s), mi(s), and su(s) agree only in number: singular or plural, not gender. But ‘our’ is gender sensitive: nuestro(s) and nuestra(s).
my
mi - mis
my cousin
mi prima
our
nuestro/-a - nuestros/-as
your (inf)
tu - tus
your book
tu libro
your books
tus libros
Su(s) has four meanings
his, her, your, and their. In addition, it can mean your singular (usted) or your plural (ustedes). Like most adjectives in Spanish, nuestro agree in both gender and number with the nouns they modify. This means that -o changes to -a when the noun being described is feminine and an -s is added in the plural.
his, her, your (fml, pl & sg), their
su - sus
his, her, your, their house
su casa
his, her, your (fml), their houses
sus casas
Possession with de
De is often used to show possession, especially when the possessor needs to be introduced, clarified, or emphasized. The de clause is similar to the possessive’s in English. Note, however, that in Spanish, the phrase that names the owner comes after the thing that is possessed.
my cousin’s son
el hijo de mi primo
my mother’s shoes
los zapatos de mi madre
the streets of Cartagena (Cartagena’s streets)
las calles de Cartagena
