Possessive Adjectives and Possessive Pronouns
Learning Objectives
- Learn how to use the French possessive adjectives.
- Learn how to use the French possessive pronouns.
- Learn the French words for the members of a family.
Grammar
Les Adjectifs Possessifs (Possessive Adjectives)
A possessive adjective is a word that shows ownership of or belonging to a noun. In French, possessive adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun they refer to. Possessive adjectives come before the noun they are associated with.
| Masculine Singular | Feminine Singular | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| mon | ma | mes | my |
| ton | ta | tes | your (singular) |
| son | sa | ses | his/her/its |
| notre | notre | nos | our |
| votre | votre | vos | your |
| leur | leur | leurs | their |
Before a feminine noun beginning with a vowel or mute 'h', the masculine form is used to make pronunciation easier: mon amie (my female friend), not ma amie.
Examples
| C'est mon livre. | It's my book. | |
| Elle cherche sa sœur. | She is looking for her sister. | |
| Elle cherche son frère. | She is looking for her brother. | |
| Nous aimons notre maison. | We love our house. | |
| J'aime ma maison. | I love my house. | |
| Est-ce votre frère ? | Is that your brother? | |
| Ils parlent de leurs frères. | They're talking about their brothers. | |
| J'aide souvent mes amis. | I often help my friends. |
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Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns replace a noun and a possessive adjective to avoid repetition. They must also agree in gender and number with the noun they replace. They are always preceded by a definite article (le, la, les).
| Masculine Singular | Feminine Singular | Masculine Plural | Feminine Plural | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| le mien | la mienne | les miens | les miennes | mine |
| le tien | la tienne | les tiens | les tiennes | yours |
| le sien | la sienne | les siens | les siennes | his/hers/its |
| le nôtre | la nôtre | les nôtres | les nôtres | ours |
| le vôtre | la vôtre | les vôtres | les vôtres | yours |
| le leur | la leur | les leurs | les leurs | theirs |
Examples
| C'est mon portable. Où est le tien ? | It's my phone. Where is yours? |
| Notre voiture est rouge. La leur est bleue. | Our car is red. Theirs is blue. |
| J'aime tes idées, mais je préfère les miennes. | I like your ideas, but I prefer mine. |
| Les enfants sont les siens. | The children are hers/his. |
| Ce livre est le mien. | This book is mine. |
People and Family
Here are some French words for people and members of a family.
la personne
|
the person |
|
le peuple
|
the people |
|
l'homme
|
the man |
|
la femme
|
the woman, the wife |
|
le mari
|
the husband |
|
la fille
|
the girl |
|
le garçon
|
the boy |
|
l'enfant
|
the child |
|
le bébé
|
the baby |
|
les parents
|
the parents |
|
la famille
|
the family |
|
la mère
|
the mother |
|
le père
|
the father |
|
la sœur
|
the sister |
|
le frère
|
the brother |
|
le fils
|
the son |
|
la fille
|
the daughter |
Flashcards
Here are some flashcards to help you learn the French possessive adjectives as well as the words for people and family included in this lesson.
Practice
Here is a quiz to help you learn the French possessive adjectives and the words for people and family.