Possessive adjectives and pronouns in Spanish indicate possession or ownership of a noun. Possessive adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun they modify, while possessive pronouns function as a substitute for the noun.
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In Spanish, possessive adjectives and pronouns are essential elements of the language that indicate ownership or possession of a particular entity or noun. These linguistic structures enable the expression of different types of ownership, such as personal, collective, and impersonal. Possessive adjectives agree with the noun they modify in gender and number, while possessive pronouns substitute for the noun.
According to LanguageTrainers.com, “Possessive adjectives express ownership or possession of a person, place, or thing, while possessive pronouns substitute the noun itself.” In other words, possessive adjectives modify or describe the noun, and possessive pronouns replace the noun entirely. For example, “su casa” (his/her/their house) is a possessive adjective, while “la suya” (his/hers/theirs) is a possessive pronoun.
Here is a table of the possessive adjectives and pronouns in Spanish:
| Spanish | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| mi | my | mi casa (my house) |
| tu | your (singular informal) | tu coche (your car) |
| su | his/her/their/your (formal) | su libro (his/her/their book) |
| nuestro/a/os/as | our | nuestros amigos (our friends) |
| vuestro/a/os/as | your (plural informal) | vuestros vecinos (your neighbors) |
| su | their/your (formal) | su casa (their/your house) |
| mío/a | mine | el lápiz es mío (the pencil is mine) |
| tuyo/a | yours (singular informal) | ¿Es tuyo el coche? (Is the car yours?) |
| suyo/a | his/hers/theirs/yours (formal) | ¿Es suya esta chaqueta? (Is this his/her/their jacket?) |
| nuestro/a/os/as | ours | la casa es nuestra (the house is ours) |
| vuestro/a/os/as | yours (plural informal) | los regalos son vuestros (the gifts are yours) |
| suyo/a | theirs/yours (formal) | ¿Es suya esta bicicleta? (Is this their/your bicycle?) |
It is worth noting that possessive pronouns take the same form as possessive adjectives for the first-person singular and plural (mío/a, nuestro/a), second-person singular and plural (tuyo/a, vuestro/a), and third-person singular formal (suyo/a), but the difference between them is the use of the definite article. For example, “el mío” means “mine,” while “mi” means “my.”
In conclusion, Spanish possessive adjectives and pronouns play a crucial role in expressing ownership and possession in the language. As famous linguist Noam Chomsky once said, “Language is not just a bunch of words thrown together. It is a tool that can be used to build complex thoughts, to express oneself in every aspect of life.”
Video response to “What are possessive adjectives and pronouns in Spanish?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJQxR4mUj2Y
The video tutorial titled “Possessive adjectives in Spanish for beginners: how to say my, your, his, her, their explanation” is designed to teach beginners how to use possessive adjectives in Spanish. These adjectives provide a specific description indicating to whom the noun belongs, and are divided into first, second, and third persons, as well as singular and plural. Possessive adjectives change depending on the number of nouns and the gender of the object being described. Unlike English, possessive adjectives are not used with body parts, and definite articles are used instead. The tutorial aims to provide learners with the tools needed to converse with native Spanish speakers and is available at lingolearner.com along with other resources to aid in language learning.
There are additional viewpoints
Short form Spanish possessive adjectives
English Spanish: Masculine, singular Spanish: Feminine, singular My mi mi Your tu tu His/Her/Its su su Our nuestro nuestra •Sep 6, 2022
What Are Possessive Pronouns in Spanish
Person Spanish possessive pronoun English Yo Mío / Míos Mine Tú Tuyo / Tuyos Yours Él / Ella Suyo / Suyos His / Hers Nosotros Nuestro / Nuestros Ours