Spanish possessive adjectives come in two forms: short (unstressed) and long (stressed). Both forms show possession but have different uses within a sentence.
Short Form Possessive Adjectives
Short form possessive adjectives are placed before the noun they modify.
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Person | mi (my) | nuestro/a (our) |
| 2nd Person | tu (your) | vuestro/a (your in Spain) |
| 3rd Person | su (his/her/its/their) | su (their) |
Examples:
- Mi libro (My book)
- Tu coche (Your car)
- Su perro (His/her/their dog)
- Nuestro jardín (Our garden)
- Vuestra casa (Your house – informal plural ‘you’ used in Spain)
Note: “Nuestro” and “vuestro” change to match the gender of the noun they modify (nuestro/nuestra, vuestro/vuestra).
Long Form Possessive Adjectives
Long form possessive adjectives follow the noun they modify and are always used with a definite article.
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Person | mío/a (mine) | nuestro/a (ours) |
| 2nd Person | tuyo/a (yours) | vuestro/a (yours in Spain) |
| 3rd Person | suyo/a (his/hers/its/their) | suyo/a (their) |
Examples:
- El libro mío (My book)
- La casa tuya (Your house)
- El perro suyo (His/her/their dog)
- El jardín nuestro (Our garden)
- La cocina vuestra (Your kitchen – plural ‘you’ used in Spain)
All long form possessive adjectives change their endings to match both the gender and number of the noun they modify (e.g., mío/mía/míos/mías).
Usage and Nuances
- Short forms are the most common in everyday conversations.
- Long forms can add emphasis or create contrast:
- “No es tu libro, es el libro mío” (It’s not your book, it’s MINE).
- Some expressions use long forms in a specific way:
- “un amigo mío” (a friend of mine).
- “Su” and “suyo/a” can be ambiguous (his/her/its/their). Usually, the context makes it clear, but to emphasize, you can use phrases like “de él” (of his) or “de ella” (of hers).
By understanding both short and long forms, you can express possession more accurately and with greater nuance in Spanish.