Discover the various ways to say “my” in Spanish using possessive adjectives, possessive pronouns, the verb “tener,” and prepositional phrases for effective communication.
How to Say “My” in Spanish
Possessive Adjectives
Possessive adjectives in Spanish are used to indicate ownership or possession. They agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. Here is a list of possessive adjectives in Spanish:
- Mi (my)
- Tu (your)
- Su (his/her/its/your formal)
- Nuestro/nuestra (our)
- Vuestro/vuestra (your plural)
- Su (their/your formal plural)
For example, if you want to say “my car” in Spanish, you would say “mi coche.” Similarly, if you want to say “our house,” you would say “nuestra casa.” Possessive adjectives are used before the noun they modify.
Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns in Spanish replace the noun and the possessive adjective. They also agree in gender and number with the noun they replace. Here is a list of possessive pronouns in Spanish:
- Mío/mía (mine)
- Tuyo/tuya (yours)
- Suyo/suya (his/hers/yours formal)
- Nuestro/nuestra (ours)
- Vuestro/vuestra (yours plural)
- Suyo/suya (theirs/yours formal plural)
Using possessive pronouns, you can say “The car is mine” as “El coche es mío” or “The house is hers” as “La casa es suya.” Possessive pronouns are used to emphasize ownership.
Using the Verb “Tener” (to have)
In Spanish, the verb “tener” is commonly used to express possession. It is conjugated based on the subject of the sentence. Here is the conjugation of “tener”:
- Yo tengo (I have)
- Tú tienes (you have)
- Él/Ella tiene (he/she has)
- Nosotros/nosotras tenemos (we have)
- Vosotros/vosotras tenéis (you have plural)
- Ellos/Ellas tienen (they have)
To say “I have a car” in Spanish, you would say “Yo tengo un coche.” The verb “tener” is often used when talking about possessions.
Prepositional Phrases
Prepositional phrases are another way to express possession in Spanish. They consist of a preposition followed by a pronoun or noun. Here are some common prepositions used for possession:
- De (of, from)
- Para (for)
- Con (with)
- Sin (without)
For example, you can say “The book of my friend” as “El libro de mi amigo” or “The gift for my sister” as “El regalo para mi hermana.” Prepositional phrases allow you to indicate possession in different contexts.
In conclusion, when it comes to expressing possession in Spanish, you have several options. You can use possessive adjectives to indicate ownership before a noun, possessive pronouns to replace the noun and emphasize ownership, the verb “tener” to directly express possession, or prepositional phrases to provide additional context. By mastering these different ways, you’ll be able to confidently talk about what’s yours in Spanish.
