What is a possessive adjective? Words that say to whom or to what something belongs

What is a possessive adjective?

Words that say to whom or to what something

belongs.

In English there are seven:

my house your house (singular)

your/y’all’s house (plural) his house her housetheir house its house

However, in French, there are several ways to use possessive

adjectives.

Their usage depends on the noun’s gender.

The first one that we are going to learn is the word

“my”

“My” has 3 different forms.

mon

used before nouns that are masculine

par exemple:

mon sac à dos(my backpack)

mon stylo(my pen)

mon professeur(my teacher)

ma

used before nouns that are feminine

par exemple:

ma salle de classe(my classroom)

ma chaise(my chair)

ma gomme (my eraser)

However! Just like the definite article

L’

there is a rule for possessive adjectives when nouns start with a vowel.

If a noun starts with a vowel

use the masculine form of “my” – mon

NO MATTER THE GENDER

par exemple:

mon agrafeuse(my stapler)

mon affiche(my posters)

mon horloge (my clock)

mes

used before nouns that are plural, no matter the gender

par exemple:

mes affiches(my posters)

mes chaises(my chairs)

mes stylos (my pens)

My:

mon ma mon mes_ before before before

before masculine feminine vowel plural nouns nouns no matter the gender

What is….

1. my book – livre 2. my high school – lycée 3. my calculator – calculatrice 4. my map – carte 5. my school – école 6. my printer – imprimante 7. my computers – ordinateur 8. my teachers – professeurs

Now let’s learn how to say “his” and “her”

His and her are the exact same in French, and they also have 3 different forms depending on

the gender.

In French, the possessive adjective does not change

depending on the gender of the subject.

It changes depending on the gender of the noun.

son

used before nouns that are masculine

par exemple:

son sac à dos(his/her backpack)

son stylo(his/her pen)

son professeur(his/her teacher)

sa

used before nouns that are feminine

par exemple:

sa salle de classe(his/her classroom)

sa chaise(his/her chair)

sa gomme (his/her eraser)

J’ai son livre.

J’ai son livre.

I have his book.

J’ai son livre.

I have his book. I have her book.

Nous avons sa carte.

Nous avons sa carte.

We have her map.

Nous avons sa carte.

We have her map. We have his map.

However! Just like the definite article

L’

there is a rule for possessive adjectives when nouns start with a vowel.

If a noun starts with a vowel

use the masculine form of “his/her” – son

NO MATTER THE GENDER

par exemple:

son agrafeuse(his/her stapler)

son affiche(his/her posters)

son horloge (his/her clock)

ses

used before nouns that are plural, no matter the gender

par exemple:

ses affiches(his/her posters)

ses chaises(his/her chairs)

ses stylos (his/her pens)

his/her:

son sa son ses_ before before before

before masculine feminine vowel plural nouns nouns no matter the gender

What is….

1. his book 2. her high school 3. his calculator 4. her map 5. his school6. her printer7. his computers8. her teachers

Now let’s learn how to say “your”

The informal/singular your has 3 different forms depending on

the gender.

In French, the possessive adjective does not change

depending on the gender of the subject.

It changes depending on the gender of the noun.

ton

used before nouns that are masculine

par exemple:

ton sac à dos(your backpack)

ton stylo(your pen)

ton professeur(your teacher)

ta

used before nouns that are feminine

par exemple:

ta salle de classe(your classroom)

ta chaise(your chair)

ta gomme (your eraser)

He has your book.

Il a ton livre.

They have your map.

Ils ont ta carte.

However! Just like the definite article

L’

there is a rule for possessive adjectives when nouns start with a vowel.

If a noun starts with a vowel

use the masculine form of “your” – ton

NO MATTER THE GENDER

par exemple:

ton agrafeuse(your stapler)

ton affiche(your posters)

ton horloge (your clock)

tes

used before nouns that are plural, no matter the gender

par exemple:

tes affiches(your posters)

tes chaises(your chairs)

tes stylos (your pens)

your (singular/informal):

ton ta ton tes_ before before before

before masculine feminine vowel plural nouns nouns no matter the gender

What is….

1. your book - 2. your high school – 3. your calculator – 4. your map – 5. your school – 6. your printer – 7. your computers – 8. your teachers –

Plural/formal form of “your”

2 different forms.

votre

used before nouns that are singular

NO MATTER THE GENDER

par exemple:

votre sac à dos(your backpack)

votre agrafeuse(your stapler)

votre professeur(your teacher)

vos

used before nouns that are plural

NO MATTER THE GENDER

par exemple:

vos affiches(your posters)

vos chaises(your chairs)

vos stylos (your pens)

Your – plural/formal:

votre votre votre vos_ before before before

before masculine feminine vowel plural nouns nouns

What is….

1. your book - 2. your high school – 3. your calculator – 4. your map – 5. your school – 6. your printer – 7. your computers – 8. your teachers –

the word for “our”

has2 different forms

notre

used before nouns that are singular

NO MATTER THE GENDER

par exemple:

notre sac à dos(our backpack)

notre agrafeuse(our stapler)

notre professeur(our teacher)

nos

used before nouns that are plural

NO MATTER THE GENDER

par exemple:

nos affiches(our posters)

nos chaises(our chairs)

nos stylos (our pens)

Our:

notre notre notre nos_ before before before

before masculine feminine vowel plural nouns nouns

What is….

1. our book - 2. our high school – 3. our calculator – 4. our map – 5. our school – 6. our printer – 7. our computers – 8. our teachers –

the word for “their”

has2 different forms

leur

used before nouns that are singular

NO MATTER THE GENDER

par exemple:

leur sac à dos(their backpack)

leur agrafeuse(their stapler)

leur professeur(their teacher)

leurs

used before nouns that are plural

NO MATTER THE GENDER

par exemple:

leurs affiches(their posters)

leurs chaises(their chairs)

leurs stylos (their pens)

Their:

leur leur leur leurs_ before before before

before masculine feminine vowel plural nouns nouns

What is….

1. their book - 2. their high school – 3. their calculator – 4. their map – 5. their school – 6. their printer – 7. their computers – 8. their teachers –