Possessive Pronouns in Spanish with Examples and Exercises

Possessive pronouns in Spanish help indicate ownership or possession, just like in English. Understanding how they work will improve your fluency and comprehension.

What Are Possessive Pronouns?

Possessive pronouns replace a noun to show ownership. In English, they include mine, yours, his, hers, ours, and theirs. Spanish has a similar system but follows specific grammatical rules.

List of Spanish Possessive Pronouns

Spanish possessive pronouns agree in gender and number with the noun they replace. Here is a table comparing them with English pronouns:

How to Use Possessive Pronouns in Sentences

1. Replacing a Noun

Instead of saying Es mi coche (It is my car), you can say:

• Es mío. (It is mine.)
• Ese lápiz es mío. (That pencil is mine.)
• El perro es mío. (The dog is mine.)
• Esa mochila es mía. (That backpack is mine.)
• El abrigo es mío. (The coat is mine.)
• Este móvil es mío. (This phone is mine.)
• Esos juguetes son míos. (Those toys are mine.)
• La taza es mía. (The cup is mine.)
• El reloj es mío. (The watch is mine.)
• Las llaves son mías. (The keys are mine.)

2. Matching Gender and Number

If referring to multiple books owned by a female:

• Los libros son míos. (The books are mine.)
• Las revistas son mías. (The magazines are mine.)
• Los zapatos son míos. (The shoes are mine.)
• Las camisas son mías. (The shirts are mine.)
• Los gatos son míos. (The cats are mine.)
• Las maletas son mías. (The suitcases are mine.)
• Los cuadros son míos. (The paintings are mine.)
• Las gafas son mías. (The glasses are mine.)
• Los abrigos son míos. (The coats are mine.)
• Las sillas son mías. (The chairs are mine.)

If referring to multiple houses owned by a male:

• Las casas son suyas. (The houses are his.)
• Los coches son suyos. (The cars are his.)
• Las mochilas son suyas. (The backpacks are his.)
• Los perros son suyos. (The dogs are his.)
• Las bicicletas son suyas. (The bicycles are his.)
• Los ordenadores son suyos. (The computers are his.)
• Las gorras son suyas. (The caps are his.)
• Los relojes son suyos. (The watches are his.)
• Las bufandas son suyas. (The scarves are his.)
• Los bolígrafos son suyos. (The pens are his.)

3. Differentiating Between “Su” and “Suyo”

Since su can mean his, her, their, or your (formal), possessive pronouns help clarify meaning:

• Es su casa. (It is his/her/their/your house.)
• Es suya. (It is his/hers/theirs/yours.)
• Estos zapatos son suyos. (These shoes are his/hers/theirs/yours.)
• Esa maleta es suya. (That suitcase is his/hers/theirs/yours.)
• Las llaves son suyas. (The keys are his/hers/theirs/yours.)
• El coche es suyo. (The car is his/hers/theirs/yours.)
• Los teléfonos son suyos. (The phones are his/hers/theirs/yours.)
• Esa chaqueta es suya. (That jacket is his/hers/theirs/yours.)
• Las lámparas son suyas. (The lamps are his/hers/theirs/yours.)
• El ordenador es suyo. (The computer is his/hers/theirs/yours.)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Forgetting Gender Agreement

• Incorrect: El coche es mía. ❌
• Correct: El coche es mío. ✅
• Incorrect: Las casas son míos. ❌
• Correct: Las casas son mías. ✅
• Incorrect: Mis amigos son mías. ❌
• Correct: Mis amigos son míos. ✅
• Incorrect: Sus zapatos son suyas. ❌
• Correct: Sus zapatos son suyos. ✅
• Incorrect: Nuestros mochilas son grandes. ❌
• Correct: Nuestras mochilas son grandes. ✅

2. Confusing with Possessive Adjectives

• Mi perro es negro. (My dog is black.) → Adjective
• El perro es mío. (The dog is mine.) → Pronoun
• Su coche es rojo. (His car is red.) → Adjective
• El coche es suyo. (The car is his.) → Pronoun
• Nuestra casa es grande. (Our house is big.) → Adjective
• La casa es nuestra. (The house is ours.) → Pronoun

Practice Exercises

1. Choose the correct pronoun: Es (tuyo/tuya) casa.
2. Translate: Those chairs are ours.
3. Rewrite: Ese libro es de Pedro. → Ese libro es __.
4. Choose the correct pronoun: Las gafas son (míos/mías).
5. Translate: That phone is yours.
6. Choose the correct pronoun: El abrigo es (suyo/suya).
7. Rewrite: Son sus mochilas. → Son __.
8. Translate: These notebooks are mine.
9. Choose the correct pronoun: Esos bolígrafos son (tuyos/tuyas).
10. Translate: The dresses are hers.
11. Choose the correct pronoun: Ese coche es (mío/mía).
12. Translate: That table is ours.
13. Rewrite: Esa mochila es de Laura. → Esa mochila es __.
14. Choose the correct pronoun: Los libros son (tuyos/tuyas).
15. Translate: These sunglasses are his.
16. Choose the correct pronoun: La chaqueta es (suyo/suya).
17. Rewrite: Son sus computadoras. → Son __.
18. Translate: The houses are ours.
19. Choose the correct pronoun: Las fotos son (míos/mías).
20. Translate: Those pens are yours.

Conclusion

Spanish possessive pronouns make sentences more concise and clear. By mastering gender agreement and usage, you can improve your Spanish fluency and avoid common mistakes. Keep practicing with real-life examples!