Possessive Adjectives And Pronouns (Mi, Tu, Su)
Want to say my, your, and their in Spanish without second-guessing yourself? This guide makes mi, tu, and su feel obvious—plus the pronoun forms like el mío.
Goal: you’ll choose the right form fast, pronounce it naturally, and avoid the classic su confusion.
Yak Box: The One-Sentence Rule
Possessive adjective goes with a noun (mi casa), and a possessive pronoun replaces the noun (la mía = “mine”).
Also: mi, tu, su (adjectives) do not change for gender. But mío, tuyo, suyo (pronouns/adjective-like forms) do change for gender and number.
Possessive Adjectives: Mi, Tu, Su (Before A Noun)
Use these when a noun is right there in the sentence: my phone, your friend, their car.
Mi / Mis
Meaning: my
mi + singular noun: mi libro (my book)
mis + plural noun: mis libros (my books)
Sentence: Mi celular está en la mesa. (My phone is on the table.)
Tu / Tus
Meaning: your (informal “you”)
tu + singular noun: tu casa (your house)
tus + plural noun: tus llaves (your keys)
Sentence: ¿Dónde está tu mochila? (Where is your backpack?)
Su / Sus
Meaning: his / her / your (formal) / their / your (plural)
su + singular noun: su carro (his/her/your/their car)
sus + plural noun: sus hijos (his/her/your/their kids)
Sentence: Su jefe llega a las nueve. (His/Her/Your boss arrives at nine.)
Quick Clarity: Why “Su” Feels Annoying
Su can mean his, her, your (formal usted), their, or your (plural ustedes). Mexican Spanish uses ustedes for “you all” in everyday speech, so su/sus shows up a lot.
When you need to be crystal clear, add de + person:
- su teléfono (his/her/your/their phone) → el teléfono de él / de ella / de usted / de ellos / de ustedes
- su casa → la casa de Ana (Ana’s house)
Possessive Pronouns: El Mío, La Tuya, Los Suyos (Replacing The Noun)
Use a possessive pronoun when the noun is understood and you want to avoid repeating it.
¿Este café es tuyo? (Is this coffee yours?)
No, es suyo. (No, it’s his/hers/yours/theirs.)
These forms change for gender and number, and they usually appear with an article like el, la, los, las.
| Pronoun Form | Meaning | Real Sentence | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| el mío / la mía | mine (masc/fem singular) | Mi asiento es el de la ventana. El tuyo es el mío. | My seat is the window one. Yours is mine. (Context: swapping seats.) |
| los míos / las mías | mine (plural) | Esas llaves no son mías; las mías están aquí. | Those keys aren’t mine; mine are here. |
| el tuyo / la tuya | yours (informal) | Mi cargador no sirve. ¿Me prestas el tuyo? | My charger doesn’t work. Can you lend me yours? |
| los tuyos / las tuyas | yours (informal plural) | Mis ideas son raras, pero las tuyas son geniales. | My ideas are weird, but yours are great. |
| el suyo / la suya | his/hers/yours (formal)/theirs | ¿Esta chamarra es suya? | Is this jacket yours? (formal “you”) |
| los suyos / las suyas | his/hers/yours/theirs (plural) | Ellos no trajeron cubiertos; nosotros trajimos los nuestros y ellos los suyos. | They didn’t bring utensils; we brought ours and they brought theirs. |
Accent Alert: Mío, Tuyo, Suyo
mío has an accent. mi (my) does not. That accent is doing real work—don’t ghost it.
- mi amigo (my friend) vs un amigo mío (a friend of mine)
- tu plan (your plan) vs el tuyo (yours)
- su idea (his/her/your/their idea) vs la suya (his/hers/yours/theirs)
The “De + Person” Trick (When Pronouns Get Confusing)
If su/suyo could mean three different people in your conversation, use de to label the owner. This is super common in real-life Mexican Spanish because it’s fast and clear.
| Ambiguous | Clear Version | English |
|---|---|---|
| Es su mochila. | Es la mochila de él. | It’s his backpack. |
| Es su mochila. | Es la mochila de ella. | It’s her backpack. |
| Es su mochila. | Es la mochila de usted. | It’s your backpack. (formal) |
| Es suyo. | Es de ellos. | It’s theirs. |
| Son suyos. | Son de ustedes. | They’re yours (you all). |
Common Patterns You’ll Actually Use
| Pattern | Meaning | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| mi/tu/su + noun | possessive adjective | Mi hermana trabaja aquí. | My sister works here. |
| el/la/los/las + mío/tuyo/suyo | possessive pronoun | Tu café está listo. El mío también. | Your coffee is ready. Mine too. |
| noun + mío/tuyo/suyo | “of mine/yours/his…” | Un amigo mío vive en Monterrey. | A friend of mine lives in Monterrey. |
| de + person | clear ownership | Es el coche de mi mamá. | It’s my mom’s car. |
Note: In Spain you’ll hear vosotros and vuestro. In everyday Mexican Spanish, you’ll typically use ustedes and su/sus instead.
Practice Time (Quick Drills, Big Results)
Drill 1: Choose Mi, Tu, Su (Adjectives)
Fill in the blank with mi, tu, or su (or plural mis, tus, sus).
- ¿Dónde está _______ cartera? (your, informal)
- _______ papás viven cerca. (my parents)
- ¿Es _______ turno, señor? (your, formal)
- Ellos no encuentran _______ boletos. (their tickets)
- Me gusta _______ idea. (your idea, informal)
Answers
1) tu 2) mis 3) su 4) sus 5) tu
Drill 2: Switch To Pronouns (El Mío, La Tuya…)
Rewrite the second sentence so you don’t repeat the noun. Use a possessive pronoun.
- Mi chamarra es negra. Tu chamarra es azul.
- Mis llaves están aquí. Tus llaves están allá.
- Su computadora es nueva. Mi computadora es vieja.
- Mi mesa es grande. Su mesa es pequeña.
Sample Solutions
1) Mi chamarra es negra. La tuya es azul.
2) Mis llaves están aquí. Las tuyas están allá.
3) Su computadora es nueva. La mía es vieja.
4) Mi mesa es grande. La suya es pequeña.
Drill 3: Make “Su” Clear
Make each sentence unambiguous using de + person.
- Su teléfono está sonando. (his)
- Su teléfono está sonando. (your, formal)
- Es suyo. (theirs)
Sample Solutions
1) El teléfono de él está sonando.
2) El teléfono de usted está sonando.
3) Es de ellos.
Common Mistakes And Fast Fixes
- Mistake: Making mi/tu/su match gender. Fix: Don’t. It’s always mi casa and mi carro, not mia anything.
- Mistake: Forgetting the accent in mío. Fix: mi = my (no accent). mío = mine/of mine (accent).
- Mistake: Using pronoun forms without an article in normal sentences. Fix: Prefer el mío, la tuya, los suyos.
- Mistake: Saying su and hoping everyone reads your mind. Fix: Use de él, de ella, de usted, de ellos, de ustedes.
Quick Reference Summary
Adjectives (With Nouns)
- mi / mis = my
- tu / tus = your (informal)
- su / sus = his/her/your (formal)/their/your (plural)
Mi perro (my dog) • Tus zapatos (your shoes) • Su trabajo (his/her/your/their job)
Pronouns (Replace Nouns)
- el mío / la mía (mine)
- el tuyo / la tuya (yours, informal)
- el suyo / la suya (his/hers/yours/theirs)
Tu silla y la mía (your chair and mine) • ¿Es tuyo? (Is it yours?)
Final Yak
If there’s a noun, use mi/tu/su. If you’re replacing the noun, use el mío/la tuya/el suyo. And when su gets messy, don’t suffer—label it with de + person and move on with your life.
