Possessives in Spanish Grammar

Possessive adjectives and pronouns (los posesivos) are used to indicate possession or belonging. They always agree in gender and number with the noun they refer to, i.e., the thing that is possessed.

Possessive adjectives (adjetivos posesivos) have long and short forms that always accompany a noun. Possessive pronouns (pronombres posesivos), however, are used to replace a noun.

Spanish

Possessive Adjectives

Short Forms

Rule 1: The short forms of possessive adjectives, or adjetivos posesivos átonos, always come before a noun. Because these possessives function as adjectives, they must agree in gender and number with the noun they relate to.

Spanish

Here is an overview of the short forms of possessive adjectives in Spanish:

Person	Singular	Plural
1st person singular	mi	mis
1st person plural	nuestro/-a	nuestros/-as
2nd person singular	tu	tus
2nd person plural	vuestro/-a	vuestros/-as
3rd person (singular and plural)	su	sus

Long Forms

Rule 2: The long forms of possessive adjectives (adjetivos posesivos tónicos) always come after the noun they refer to. They must agree in gender and number with that noun.

Spanish

Rule 3: Long forms of possessive adjectives are used with the verb ser, when the noun forms part of the subject of a sentence.

Spanish

Here is an overview of the long forms of possessive adjectives in Spanish:

Person	Singular Masculine	Singular Feminine	Plural Masculine	Plural Feminine
1st person singular	mío	mía	míos	mías
1st person plural	nuestro	nuestra	nuestros	nuestras
2nd person singular	tuyo	tuya	tuyos	tuyas
2nd person plural	vuestro	vuestra	vuestros	vuestras
3rd person (singular and plural)	suyo	suya	suyos	suyas

Possessive Pronouns

Rule 4: Possessive pronouns (pronombres posesivos) are used to replace a previously-mentioned noun and are preceded by the definite article. The possessive pronoun must agree in gender and number with this noun.

Spanish

Here's an overview of possessive pronouns in Spanish:

Person	Singular Masculine	Singular Feminine	Plural Masculine	Plural Feminine
1st person singular	el mío	la mía	los míos	las mías
1st person plural	el nuestro	la nuestra	los nuestros	las nuestras
2nd person singular	el tuyo	la tuya	los tuyos	las tuyas
2nd person plural	el vuestro	la vuestra	los vuestros	las vuestras
3rd person (plural and singular)	el suyo	la suya	los suyos	las suyas

Quiz

1/4

Complete the sentence. Este coche es ___.