Tips 091: Possessive Pronouns in Spanish

Possessive pronouns in Spanish are generally straightforward except for one small detail. 

The detail is about knowing whether or not you need to use the definite articles with the possessive pronouns.

In today’s theoretical Spanish podcast, we talk about how to use possessive adjectives in Spanish. Then we talk about how use the possessive pronouns in Spanish. And finally we cover the issue of whether or not you need to use the definite articles.

If you have any questions from today’s podcast then you can leave a comment below or sign up for the conversation hacking guide and ask me a question directly.

Possessive Adjectives in Spanish:

My – Mi.

Your (informal) – Tu.

Your (formal), his, her – Su.

Our – Nuestro.

Your (plural) – Vuestro.

Possessive Pronouns in Spanish:

Mine – El mío / La mía / Los míos / Las mías.

Yours (informal) – El tuyo / La tuya / Los tuyos / Las tuyas.

Yours (formal), his, hers – El suyo / La suya / Los suyos / Las suyas.

Ours – El nuestro / La nuestra / Los nuestros / Las nuestras.

Yours (informal plural) – El vuestro / La vuestra / Los vuestros / Las vuestras.

Yours (formal), theirs – El suyo / La suya / Los suyos / Las suyas.

Examples from today’s podcast:

It is my house – Es mi casa.

It is your house – Es tu casa.

My house is your house (informal) – Mi casa es tu casa.

My house is your house (formal) – Mi casa es su casa.

In our country we speak very fast – En nuestro pais hablamos muy rápido. 

In our country they speak very fast (passive) – En mi país se habla muy rápido.

Do they eat a lot in your city? – ¿Se come mucho en vuestra ciudad?

Do they eat a lot of seafood in your city? – ¿Se come mucho marisco en vuestra ciudad?

My head hurts, I have a headache – Me duele la cabeza.

Does your arm hurt – ¿Te duele el brazo?

This book is mine – Este libro es mío.

This book is mine – Este libro es el mío.

Whose book is this? – ¿De quién es este libro? 

This book is mine – Este libro es mío.

This book is hers – Este libro es suyo.

This book is hers – Este libro es de ella.

This book is his – Este libro es de él.

These books are mine – Estos libros son míos.

This book is mine and that book is yours – Este libro es el mío y ese libro es el tuyo. 

Este libro es mío – This book is mine.

Este libro es el mío – This book is the one that is mine.

My friend and your friend still aren’t talking to each other – Mi amiga y la tuya todavía no se hablan.

Mi house is small. His is big. – Mi casa es pequeña. La suya es grande.

Mine is small as well – La mía es pequeña también.

Their comments were interesting – Sus comentarios fueron interesantes.

Ours were boring – Los nuestros fueron aburridos.

How else can you use possessive pronouns in Spanish?

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