How possessive adjectives work
Possessive adjectives stand before the noun and replace the article: mon livre, ma maison, mes amis.
All forms at a glance
| Person | Masculine sg. | Feminine sg. | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | mon | ma | mes | my |
| tu | ton | ta | tes | your (informal) |
| il / elle / on | son | sa | ses | his / her / its |
| nous | notre | notre | nos | our |
| vous | votre | votre | vos | your (formal / plural) |
| ils / elles | leur | leur | leurs | their |
mon, ton, son: one owner
For I, you and he/she there are three forms each: mon, ma, mes – ton, ta, tes – son, sa, ses.
J'adore ma famille.
I love my family.
Où est ton téléphone ?
Where is your phone?
Mes parents habitent à Lyon.
My parents live in Lyon.
son, sa, ses: his or her?
son, sa and ses mean his and her. French does not show whether the owner is male or female, only the noun counts: chien is masculine, so son chien for Marie and for Pierre.
Marie aime son chien.
Marie loves her dog.
Pierre aime son chien.
Pierre loves his dog.
Pierre cherche sa mère.
Pierre is looking for his mother.
notre, votre, leur: several owners
For we, you and they there is only one singular form: notre, votre, leur. The plural is nos, vos, leurs.
Nous aimons notre ville.
We love our town.
Vos papiers, s'il vous plaît.
Your papers, please.
Les enfants jouent avec leurs jouets.
The children play with their toys.
Before a vowel: ma becomes mon
If a feminine noun starts with a vowel or a silent h, mon, ton, son replace ma, ta, sa. The noun stays feminine, it is only about the sound.
Mon amie s'appelle Marie.
My friend is called Marie.
Ton école est grande.
Your school is big.
Son histoire est belle.
His/Her story is beautiful.
