Possessive adjectives
Used for 'my'. Use 'mi' for a single item and 'mis' for multiple items. Example: mi libro (my book), mis libros (my books).
Used for 'your' (informal, for one person). Use 'tu' for a single item and 'tus' for multiple items. Example: tu amigo (your friend), tus amigos (your friends).
This is a multi-purpose word for 'his', 'her', 'its', 'their', or 'your' (formal/plural). Use 'su' for one item, 'sus' for multiple. Context is key. Example: su carro (his/her/your car), sus carros (his/her/your cars).
Used for 'our'. This one changes for gender and number to match the noun it describes. Example: nuestro perro (our dog), nuestra casa (our house), nuestros hijos (our children), nuestras hijas (our daughters).
My family is from Mexico.
Ana, are these your shoes?
Our house has a big garden.
Mr. López, your car is ready.
They visit their grandparents every Sunday.
In Spain, 'vuestro/a/os/as' is used for the informal plural 'you' (vosotros). For example, 'Vuestros amigos son de Madrid' (Your friends are from Madrid). Latin America does not use 'vosotros' or 'vuestro', opting for 'ustedes' and 'su/s'.
In Latin America, 'su/sus' is used for 'your' when talking to a group of people ('ustedes'), in both formal and informal situations. It's also used for 'his', 'her', and 'their', so context is very important.
In regions that use 'vos' for the informal 'you' (like Argentina), the possessive adjective is still 'tu'. For example, 'Vos tenés tu celular' (You have your cellphone). It's a common mistake for learners to try and change 'tu'.
Forgetting to make the adjective plural for a plural noun. It's 'mis llaves' (my keys), not 'mi llaves'. The '-s' is essential.
Confusing 'tu' (your) and 'tú' (you). 'Tu' is a possessive adjective and never has an accent mark. 'Tú' is a subject pronoun and always has an accent. Example: 'Tú tienes tu libro' (You have your book).
Not matching the gender for 'nuestro/a'. The adjective must match the noun it describes, not the owner. If a group of men and women own a house (casa, feminine), they say 'nuestra casa', not 'nuestro casa'.
Using 'su' can be ambiguous. 'Es su libro' can mean it's his, her, their, or your (formal) book. To be clear, native speakers often rephrase: 'Es el libro de él' (It's his book) or 'Es el libro de ellos' (It's their book).
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