Possessive Pronouns in Spanish: A2 Grammar Guide

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Key Takeaways

• Master the long form possessive pronouns (mío, tuyo, suyo, etc.)
• Understand the difference between possessive adjectives and pronouns
• Learn how possessive pronouns agree in gender and number with the noun they replace
• Practice using possessive pronouns to avoid repetition and sound more natural
• Master the use of definite articles with possessive pronouns

Replace Nouns and Show Ownership Clearly

Possessive pronouns are essential for saying “mine,” “yours,” “his,” “hers,” “ours,” and “theirs” in Spanish. They replace nouns to avoid repetition and make your Spanish sound more fluent and natural. While possessive adjectives describe who owns something (my book), possessive pronouns replace the noun entirely (it’s mine).

The Complete Possessive Pronouns Chart

Possessive Pronouns – Must agree with the noun they replace

English	Masculine Singular	Feminine Singular	Masculine Plural	Feminine Plural
Mine	el mío	la mía	los míos	las mías
Yours (tú)	el tuyo	la tuya	los tuyos	las tuyas
His/Hers/Yours (Ud.)	el suyo	la suya	los suyos	las suyas
Ours	el nuestro	la nuestra	los nuestros	las nuestras
Yours (vosotros)	el vuestro	la vuestra	los vuestros	las vuestras
Theirs/Yours (Uds.)	el suyo	la suya	los suyos	las suyas

💡 Grammar Tip: Possessive pronouns always use a definite article (el, la, los, las) and must match the gender and number of the noun they’re replacing.

Possessive Adjectives vs. Pronouns

Understanding the difference is crucial:

Possessive Adjective (Describes):	Possessive Pronoun (Replaces):
Mi coche es rojo. (My car is red.)	El coche rojo es el mío. (The red car is mine.)
Tu casa es grande. (Your house is big.)	La casa grande es la tuya. (The big house is yours.)
Nuestro libro está aquí. (Our book is here.)	Este libro es el nuestro. (This book is ours.)

Using Possessive Pronouns in Context

After the verb “ser” (to be):

• “¿De quién es este libro?” “Es el mío.” (Whose book is this? It’s mine.)
• “Estas llaves son las tuyas.” (These keys are yours.)
• “El éxito fue el nuestro.” (The success was ours.)

To avoid repetition:

• “Mi coche es azul y el tuyo es rojo.” (My car is blue and yours is red.)
• “Nuestra casa es pequeña, pero la suya es enorme.” (Our house is small, but theirs is huge.)
• “Mis zapatos son viejos; prefiero los tuyos.” (My shoes are old; I prefer yours.)

With preposition “de” for clarification:

• “Es un amigo mío.” (He’s a friend of mine.)
• “Esas son ideas suyas.” (Those are ideas of his/hers.)
• “Vimos a unos primos nuestros.” (We saw some cousins of ours.)

Clarifying “Suyo” – Dealing with Ambiguity

Since “suyo” can mean “his,” “hers,” “yours” (formal), or “theirs,” Spanish often adds clarification:

• “El coche es suyo.” → “El coche es suyo de él.” (The car is his.)
• “Las llaves son suyas.” → “Las llaves son suyas de ella.” (The keys are hers.)
• “Los libros son suyos.” → “Los libros son suyos de ustedes.” (The books are yours.)

Putting It All Together: Everyday Conversations

Conversation 1: Sharing an Apartment
Ana: ¿Esta toalla es tuya?
Carlos: No, la mía es la azul. Esa debe ser la de María.
Ana: ¿Y estos platos?
Carlos: Esos son los nuestros. Los suyos están en su armario.

Translation:
Ana: Is this towel yours?
Carlos: No, mine is the blue one. That must be Maria’s.
Ana: And these plates?
Carlos: Those are ours. His/hers are in his/her cupboard.

Conversation 2: Office Setting
Jefe: Este informe es excelente. ¿Es trabajo suyo?
Empleado: Sí, la idea principal fue mía, pero los datos son de todo el equipo.
Jefe: El éxito es nuestro entonces. ¡Buen trabajo!

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Forgetting the article: “Coche es mío” (wrong) → “El coche es el mío” (correct)
2. Wrong gender agreement: “La mío” (wrong) → “La mía” (correct)
3. Confusing with adjectives: “Es mi” (wrong) → “Es mío” (correct)
4. Misusing “de” constructions: “Un mío amigo” (wrong) → “Un amigo mío” (correct)
5. Overcomplicating “suyo”: When unclear, add “de él/ella/usted/ellos”

Quick Reference Chart

Situation	Structure	Example
After “ser”	es/son + article + pronoun	Es el mío, Son las nuestras
Avoiding repetition	article + pronoun	Prefiero el tuyo, Necesito las vuestras
With “de”	noun + pronoun	Un amigo mío, Ideas suyas
Clarifying suyo	suyo + de + pronoun	Es suyo de él, Son suyas de ellas
Gender Agreement	Must match replaced noun	El mío (masc), La mía (fem)

Practice Exercise: Replace with Possessive Pronouns

Replace the underlined phrases with possessive pronouns:

1. Este es mi coche. → Este es ______.
2. Esas son nuestras maletas. → Esas son ______.
3. ¿Este libro es de Juan? → ¿Este libro es ______?
4. Prefiero tus ideas. → Prefiero ______.

Answers:

1. el mío
2. las nuestras
3. suyo (or suyo de él for clarity)
4. las tuyas

📚 Build on your knowledge: Review Possessive Adjectives in Spanish

Ready to Claim Ownership?

Think you’ve mastered possessive pronouns? Test your ability to use mío, tuyo, suyo and replace nouns like a native speaker!

Take Our Possessive Pronouns Quiz ►

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