grammar
Les adjectifs possessifs: Expressing "my", "your", and "their".
One of the trickiest concepts for English speakers to grasp is French possession. In English, a possessive word ("his" or "her") matches the owner. In French, possessive adjectives (les adjectifs possessifs) must agree in gender and number with the object being owned!
The Complete Chart
To choose the right word, first figure out who the owner is (my, your, our). Then, look at the noun that comes immediately after it: is it masculine singular, feminine singular, or plural?
| Owner | Masculin Singulier (ex: frère) |
Féminin Singulier (ex: sœur) |
Pluriel (ex: amis) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Je (My) | mon frère | ma sœur | mes amis |
| Tu (Your) | ton frère | ta sœur | tes amis |
| Il / Elle (His / Her) | son frère | sa sœur | ses amis |
| Nous (Our) | notre frère | notre sœur | nos amis |
| Vous (Your - formal/plur) | votre frère | votre sœur | vos amis |
| Ils / Elles (Their) | leur frère | leur sœur | leurs amis |
Because the adjective matches the object, « son frère » can mean his brother OR her brother. Likewise, « sa sœur » can mean his sister OR her sister. You only know the gender of the owner based on the context of the conversation!
Also Note: Notice that for "notre", "votre", and "leur", the masculine and feminine forms are exactly the same. You only need to change them if the object is plural!