POSESION

This may not be the kind of “possession” you think!!!!

POSESION

It is time to learn to talk about what belongs to people.  In Spanish we use the adjetivos posesivos (possessive adjectives) to express ownership or what belongs to someone. 

The word adjetivos is KEY here.  Remember that in Spanish the adjectives agree in number (singular/plural) and gender (masculine/feminine) with the noun they modify (describe). 

There are five possessive adjectives.

mitusu

nuestrovuestro

Three possessive adjectives (mi, tu, su) have

only two forms, singular and plural.

mimis

tutus

susus

Possessive adjectives agree with the nouns they modify. That is, they agree with the thing possessed, not the one

who possesses

mi hermanomy brother

mis hermanosmy brothers

tu hermanayour sister

tus hermanasyour sisters

Mi, tu and su do not have masculine and feminine forms. They stay the same, regardless

of the gender of the nouns they modify. mi libro

mi pluma

tus hermanostus hermanas

su amigosus amigas

Mi means "my" ; tu means "your."

Mi casa es tu casa. My house is your house.

Su, like tu, can mean "your." The difference between your

(tu) and your (su) is how formal the speaker wishes to be.

• Mi casa es tu casa.(speaking to someone you would address as "tú")

• Mi casa es su casa.(speaking to someone you would address as "usted")

Su has four meanings: his, her, their and your (formal).

Jorge busca a su hermano.Jorge is looking for his sister.

Pilar busca a su hermana.Pilar is looking for her sister.

Ellos buscan a su hermana.They are looking for their sister.

Su madre busca a su hermana.Your mother is looking for your sister.

Two possessive adjectives (nuestro and

vuestro) have four forms.

nuestronuestranuestrosnuestras

vuestrovuestravuestrosvuestras

Nuestro means "our."

nuestro hermanoour brother

nuestra hermanaour sister

nuestros hermanosour brothers

nuestras hermanasour sisters

Vuestro means "your" (familiar, plural). Like vosotros, vuestro is

used in Spain.

vuestro libroyour book

vuestra plumayour pen

vuestros librosyour books

vuestras plumasyour pens

los adjetivos posesivos

mi(s)my

tu(s)your (fam. sing.)

su(s)his, her, your (formal), their

nuestro(-a, -os, -as)our

vuestro(-a, -os, -as)your (fam. pl.)