Possessive Adjectives: Learn to use possessive adjectives

Possessive adjectives are used to indicate ownership or possession of something. In Italian, possessive adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. They are commonly used before a noun. Here are the possessive adjectives in Italian:

• Mio (my)
• Tuo (your, singular informal)
• Suo (his, her, your, singular formal)
• Nostro (our)
• Vostro (your, plural)
• Loro (their)

Using possessive adjectives in sentences

To use possessive adjectives correctly, you need to match them with the gender and number of the noun they refer to. Here's how you can use possessive adjectives in sentences:

Singular forms:

• Mio (my)

  • Masculine singular: il mio amico (my friend)
  • Feminine singular: la mia amica (my friend)

• Tuo (your, singular informal):

  • Masculine singular: il tuo libro (your book)
  • Feminine singular: la tua penna (your pen)

• Suo (his, her, your, singular formal):

  • Masculine singular: il suo gatto (his cat)
  • Feminine singular: la sua macchina (her car)

Plural forms:

• Nostro (our):

  • Masculine singular: il nostro cane (our dog)
  • Feminine singular: la nostra casa (our house)

• Vostro (your, plural):

  • Masculine singular: il vostro ragazzo (your boyfriend)
  • Feminine singular: le vostre scarpe (your shoes)

• Loro (their):

  • Masculine singular: il loro libro (their book)
  • Feminine singular: la loro tavola (their table)

Expressing possession with possessive adjectives

To express possession in Italian, you can use the possessive adjective in combination with the noun it modifies. Here are a few examples:

• Mio padre (my father)
• Tua madre (your mother)
• Suo zio (his/her uncle)
• Nostro amico (our friend)
• Vostri parenti (your relatives)
• Loro cani (their dogs)

Note that the possessive adjectives mio, tuo, suo, nostro, vostro, and loro can also function as pronouns when the noun they modify is implied or understood from the context.

Recap

• Possessive adjectives are used to indicate ownership or possession in Italian.
• They agree in gender and number with the noun they modify.
• The singular forms are: mio, tuo, suo, and the plural forms are: nostro, vostro, loro.
• Possessive adjectives can be used in sentences to express possession.
• They can also function as pronouns when the noun is implied or understood.