Possessives and pronouns (AQA GCSE Spanish): Revision Notes
Possessives and pronouns
Understanding possessives and pronouns is essential for expressing ownership and referring to people and things in Spanish. These words help you avoid repetition and make your Spanish sound more natural and fluent.
Mastering possessives and pronouns is crucial for intermediate Spanish fluency. They're used constantly in everyday conversation, so getting comfortable with them will significantly improve your speaking and writing.
Possessive adjectives
Possessive adjectives tell us who something belongs to. The key rule to remember is that possessive adjectives agree with the noun they describe (the thing being owned), not with the owner. This means you need to match the gender and number of the object, not the person who owns it.
| English | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| my | mi | mis |
| your (informal) | tu | tus |
| his/her/its/your (formal) | su | sus |
| our | nuestro/a | nuestros/as |
| your (plural) | vuestro/a | vuestros/as |
| their/your (formal plural) | su | sus |
Notice that "nuestro" and "vuestro" change their endings to match the gender of the noun they describe. For example, "nuestra casa" (our house) uses the feminine form because "casa" is feminine.
Practice Examples: Possessive Adjectives
- Mis amigos son simpáticos. - My friends are nice.
- Su colegio es grande. - Their school is big.
- Nuestra profesora habla español. - Our teacher speaks Spanish.
Possessive pronouns
Possessive pronouns replace nouns entirely while still showing ownership. They agree with the noun they replace, just like possessive adjectives agree with the noun they describe. These pronouns always use the definite article (el, la, los, las).
Singular possessive pronouns
| English | Masculine | Feminine |
|---|---|---|
| mine | el mío | la mía |
| yours (informal) | el tuyo | la tuya |
| his/hers/its/yours (formal) | el suyo | la suya |
| ours | el nuestro | la nuestra |
| yours (plural) | el vuestro | la vuestra |
| theirs/yours (formal plural) | el suyo | la suya |
Plural possessive pronouns
| English | Masculine | Feminine |
|---|---|---|
| mine | los míos | las mías |
| yours (informal) | los tuyos | las tuyas |
| his/hers/its/yours (formal) | los suyos | las suyas |
| ours | los nuestros | las nuestras |
| yours (plural) | los vuestros | las vuestras |
| theirs/yours (formal plural) | los suyos | las suyas |
Using Possessive Pronouns
- Su casa es más moderna que la nuestra. - Their house is more modern than ours.
Prepositional pronouns
These special pronouns are used after prepositions such as "para" (for), "por" (for/by), "sin" (without), and "a" (to). Most prepositional pronouns look similar to subject pronouns, but there are some important differences.
| Preposition examples | Pronoun | English |
|---|---|---|
| para, por, sin, a | mí | me |
| para, por, sin, a | ti | you |
| para, por, sin, a | él | him |
| para, por, sin, a | ella | her |
| para, por, sin, a | nosotros/as | us |
| para, por, sin, a | vosotros/as | you |
| para, por, sin, a | ellos | them (m) |
| para, por, sin, a | ellas | them (f) |
Special forms with "con":
- con + mí = conmigo (with me)
- con + ti = contigo (with you)
These are the only two irregular combinations you need to memorise!
Prepositional Pronoun Examples
- Esta falda es para ti. - This skirt is for you.
- Voy contigo al cine. - I'm going to the cinema with you.
The relative pronoun "que"
The word "que" means "which", "that", or "who" and allows you to refer back to someone or something already mentioned. Unlike in English, where you might sometimes omit "that" or "which", you must always include "que" in Spanish.
Using "que" in Context
- El profesor que enseña francés. - The teacher who teaches French.
- El libro que lee es español. - The book (that/which) he is reading is Spanish.
Grammar and pronunciation tips
Essential Tips for Success:
- Remember that possessive adjectives change to match what is owned, not who owns it
- The accent on "mí" (me) distinguishes it from "mi" (my)
- "Que" is one of the most common words in Spanish - practice using it in different contexts
- When using possessive pronouns, don't forget the definite article (el, la, los, las)
Translation exercises
Practice these translations to reinforce your understanding. Try to complete them before checking the answers below.
Spanish to English:
- Mis hermanos viven en Madrid pero los tuyos viven aquí.
- El coche que compramos es más rápido que el vuestro.
English to Spanish: 3. The book that she reads is more interesting than mine. 4. Their house is bigger than ours, but ours is more comfortable.
Answers:
- My brothers live in Madrid but yours live here.
- The car that we bought is faster than yours.
- El libro que lee es más interesante que el mío.
- Su casa es más grande que la nuestra, pero la nuestra es más cómoda.
Key Points to Remember:
- Possessive adjectives agree with the thing being owned, not the owner
- Possessive pronouns replace nouns and always use definite articles
- Use prepositional pronouns after prepositions, with special forms "conmigo" and "contigo"
- Always include "que" in Spanish, even when "that/which" might be omitted in English
- Practice these forms regularly as they're essential for natural Spanish conversation