Grammar
Les adjectifs possessifs: Expressing Ownership
Bonjour ! Expressing who owns what is a vital starting block in any language. In French, possessive adjectives (my, your, his/her) match the gender and number of the item being owned, rather than the gender of the owner!
Singular Owners: My, Your, His/Her
| Owner | Masculine Singular (ex: sac) |
Feminine Singular (ex: voiture) |
Plural (ex: clés) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Je (My) | mon sac | ma voiture | mes clés |
| Tu (Your - informal) | ton sac | ta voiture | tes clés |
| Il / Elle (His / Her) | son sac | sa voiture | ses clés |
Plural Owners: Our, Your, Their
📝 Plural Owner Forms
Nous (Our):
➔ notre maison (sing.) / nos maisons (plur.)
Vous (Your - formal/plural):
➔ votre passeport (sing.) / vos passeports (plur.)
Ils / Elles (Their):
➔ leur enfant (sing.) / leurs enfants (plur.)
⚠️ Special Vowel Rule: Mon / Ton / Son
If a feminine noun begins with a vowel or a silent "h", you must use the masculine form (mon, ton, son) instead of ma, ta, sa to avoid an awkward sound interruption!
Exemple: Even though amie (friend) is feminine, we say:
➔ « mon amie » (NOT ma amie).