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Possessive Adjectives in English: My, Your, His, Her, Its, Our, Their
The 7 possessive adjectives in English, with examples and the two mix-ups everyone makes: its/it's and your/you're.
Written by Bryan López, Profesor de inglés · Updated
Possessive adjectives in English are my, your, his, her, its, our, and their: they go before a noun to show who something belongs to. Unlike many languages, they never change in the plural: "my book" and "my books" use the same word. They always match the owner, not the object.
The 7 possessive adjectives in English
They never change in the plural
In many languages the possessive changes depending on whether the object is singular or plural. In English, the possessive adjective never changes, no matter how many things there are: "my book" and "my books" both use "my". Saying "mys books" or "hers car" is incorrect, the form is always fixed.
They match the owner, not the object
This is one of the most common mix-ups for learners: many languages have a single word that covers his/her/their (like Spanish "su"), so it's easy to pick "his" or "her" without thinking about the real gender of the owner. English is strict about this: his is for a male owner, her for a female owner, their for more than one owner, no matter what's being owned. "Ana and her car," never "his car" for Ana.
It/its for things, they/their for people or things
Use his and her only for people (or named pets). For things and unnamed animals, use it/its: "The hotel has its own spa." For plural, they/their works for both people and things: "I like those chairs, their legs are too long."
Its vs. it's
Its (no apostrophe) is the possessive adjective: "The dog is eating its food." It's (with an apostrophe) is the contraction of "it is": "It's hot today." They're different words that just happen to sound the same, one of the most common mistakes even among native speakers.
Your vs. you're
Your (no apostrophe) is the possessive adjective: "I like your dress." You're (with an apostrophe) is the contraction of "you are": "You're very intelligent." Just like its/it's, these are two completely different words that only get confused because they sound alike.
Practice possessive adjectives with real audio
Interactive exercises, real pronunciation, and the full lesson taught in English.
Why English has no article with body parts
In English, we use a possessive adjective where other languages use an article: "I washed my hands," not "I washed the hands." "She brushed her teeth." "He broke his leg." The possessive is natural here because it shows whose body part it is. This is one of the differences that appear most often when learners translate directly from their language.
Possessive adjectives and their owners
Only the owner matters, not the thing
The possessive adjective agrees with the owner, not with the object. "Sara loves her brother" uses her because Sara is female, even though the brother is male. "Tom loves his sister" uses his because Tom is male. This is different from languages where the adjective agrees with the noun, so it needs specific attention when you learn it.
Examples of possessive adjectives
- My sister works in a bank.
- Is this your umbrella?
- He lost his keys yesterday.
- The dog is wagging its tail.
- They sold their house last year.
A common mistake with possessive adjectives
Incorrect
Maria loves his mother.
Correct
Maria loves her mother.
possessive adjectives in a real conversation
A: "Is that your car?" B: "No, it's my brother's. Mine is in the garage." A: "Oh, and is that his wife?" B: "Yes, and their kids are in the back."
Frequently asked questions
What are the 7 possessive adjectives in English?
My, your, his, her, its, our, and their. They go before a noun to show possession: my house, her phone, their car.
What's the difference between possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns?
A possessive adjective goes before a noun (my car), a possessive pronoun replaces the whole noun and stands alone (mine): "This is my car" vs. "This car is mine."
What's the difference between its and it's?
Its (no apostrophe) shows possession: "The cat licked its paw." It's (with an apostrophe) is the contraction of "it is": "It's raining."
What's the difference between your and you're?
Your (no apostrophe) shows possession: "Is this your bag?" You're (with an apostrophe) is the contraction of "you are": "You're right."
Do possessive adjectives change in the plural?
No. They always have a single form: "my book" and "my books" both use "my", you never add an s.
How do I know whether to use his, her, or their?
His is for a male owner, her for a female owner, their for more than one owner. They match the owner, not the object being owned.
What is the difference between their, there, and they're?
Their shows possession (their house). There shows place or existence (over there, there is). They're is the contraction of they are.
Can I use a possessive adjective with a/an?
No. You say "my friend" or "a friend of mine," not "a my friend."
Practice possessive adjectives with real audio
Interactive exercises, real pronunciation, and the full lesson taught in English.
Keep learning
- Possessive Pronouns in English: Mine, Yours, His, Hers, Ours, TheirsThe 6 possessive pronouns in English, with examples and the rule almost everyone breaks: no apostrophe, ever.
- Possessive 's: How to Show Who Owns What (Mary's Car)The possessive 's shows who owns something: it attaches to the owner, not the thing owned.
- Subject Pronouns: The Complete List, Rules, and ExamplesThe 7 words that go before the verb in English, explained with examples and the mistakes learners make most often.