When and learn how to use them

French possessive adjectives work in a really comparable solution to English possessive adjectives. They arrive earlier than nouns and present possession or a relationship with that noun. They’re phrases like mon (my), ton (your), son (his/her), notre (our), votre (your), and leur (their). Mixed with nouns, they give the impression of being extra like this: mon sac (my bag), ton travail (your job), and son ami (his/her pal).

Possessive adjectives in French have masculine, female, and plural kinds. This text will enable you to perceive when and learn how to use every one with an in depth rationalization.

What are possessive adjectives in French?

Possessive adjectives in French describe possession, possession, or a relationship with a noun.

Let’s begin with an instance in French – mon sac means “my bag”. Right here, mon (my) is the possessive adjective, and sac (bag) is the noun. Mon (my) exhibits us who the sac (bag) belongs to. Equally, ma maison means “my home”, with ma which means “my” and maison which means “home”.

Wait, do each mon and ma imply “my” in French? The reply is sure! And there’s a 3rd one – mes additionally means “my”. In French, possessive adjectives have to match the gender or the variety of the noun they’re describing. When saying my, if the noun is masculine singular, you’ll use mon. If it’s female singular, you’ll use ma. And if it’s plural, you’ll use mes, no matter gender.

Take a look at the examples beneath:

• Mon sac – My bag (We used mon as sac is a masculine singular phrase)
• Ma maison – My home (We used ma as maison is a female singular phrase)
• Mes sacs – My baggage (We used mes as sacs is plural. We don’t want to contemplate the noun’s gender)
• Mes maisons – My homes (We used mes as maisons is plural. We don’t want to contemplate the noun’s gender)

An entire listing of French possessive adjectives

Just like the mon, ma, mes (my) examples above, all French possessive adjectives change relying on the gender and the variety of the noun. The plural model of the possessive adjectives is at all times the identical for each female and masculine phrases.

For instance, to say “his” in French, you’ll want to decide on between son, sa, and ses – son for masculine singular, sa for female singular, and ses for plural nouns. The identical goes for “her” in French – you continue to select between son, sa, and ses. So, when you hear somebody saying son sac, it might imply “his bag” or “her bag.” It’s at all times son sac and by no means sa sac, as sac (bag) is masculine in French.

Within the desk beneath, yow will discover the French possessive adjectives for all pronouns:

Now let’s mix the possessive adjectives with French nouns. The listing beneath makes use of frequent French phrases, so you might be acquainted with the genders of the nouns. If not, it’s alternative to be taught – simply verify if they’ve the masculine singular or female singular possessive adjective:

Different guidelines associated to possessive adjectives in French

French possessive adjectives at all times come earlier than nouns. Take a look at these sentences:

• Je cherche ma fille – I’m on the lookout for my daughter
• J’appelle mon fils – I’m calling my son
• Est-ce que ton frère est là? – Is your brother right here?
• Ta sœur est vraiment gentille – Your sister is very nice

Female singular nouns at all times take ma (my), ta (your), and sa (his/her), besides once they begin with a vowel. In that case, they take the identical possessive adjectives as masculine singular nouns, that are mon (my), ton (your), and son (his/her). For instance, ami is a male pal and amie is a feminine pal. “My pal” is mon ami for male mates and mon amie for feminine mates. That is merely for smoother pronunciation – mon amie is less complicated to pronounce than ma amie.

Listed below are some instance sentences:

• Mon ami s’appelle Jean – My pal’s title is Jean
• Mon amie s’appelle Lucie – My pal’s title is Lucie
• Je vais sortir avec mes amis – I’ll exit with my mates
• Je vais sortir avec mes amies – I’ll exit with my mates

The plural possessive adjective is mes in all instances. Mes amies (my mates) implies that every one your pals are women. Mes amis (my mates), however, refers to a gaggle of all-male mates or a mixed-gender group.

Apply French possessive adjectives with a tutor

You’ll want to contemplate the noun’s gender, quantity, and pronunciation guidelines to search out the right possessive adjective in French. This will likely sound like an excessive amount of work now, however understand that you’ll use possessive adjectives on a regular basis when studying French on-line. And also you’ll additionally want them whereas masking matters like ma famille (my household), mes amis (my mates), and mon travail (my job).

If you wish to make your studying course of quicker, think about taking on-line French classes from a 1-on-1 tutor. You’ll have loads of alternatives to observe, and as you advance, choosing the proper possessive adjective will come naturally to you!