French grammar · Beginner (A1)
Possessives: mon, ma, mes and more
How to say my, your, his, her, our and their in French, and why the word agrees with the thing owned, not the owner.
The forms
A possessive is a word like “my” or “your” that shows who something belongs to. In French it changes with the gender and number of the thing you own.
| English | Masculine | Feminine | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| my | |||
| your () | |||
| his, her, its | |||
| our | |||
| your () | |||
| their |
- mon frère, ma sœur, mes parentsmy brother, my sister, my parents
- Voici notre fils.This is our son.
- Vous avez votre passeport ?Do you have your passport?
His or her? It depends on the noun
, and can all mean “his” or “her”. The form depends on the thing owned, not on the owner. is feminine, so “his car” and “her car” are both .
Usually the situation makes it clear who the owner is. If not, add (his) or (her): (It's her car).
- Paul cherche son téléphone.Paul is looking for his phone.
- Léa cherche son téléphone.Léa is looking for her phone.
- Thomas aime beaucoup sa grand-mère.Thomas loves his grandmother very much.
Mon, ton, son before a vowel
Before a feminine noun that starts with a vowel or a silent h, use , , instead of , , . It's easier to say: (my friend, female), (your school), (his or her story).
- Je te présente mon amie Sophie.Let me introduce my friend Sophie.
- Quelle est ton adresse ?What's your address?