Possessive Pronouns in French

Possessive pronouns in French are used to replace a noun and indicate ownership or possession. They correspond to the English words “mine,” “yours,” “his,” “hers,” “ours,” and “theirs.” Unlike English, French possessive pronouns must agree in gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural) with the noun they replace, not the possessor.

French Possessive Pronouns

Here is a chart of the possessive pronouns in French:

Usage Rules

1. Agreement with the Replaced Noun:
   • The possessive pronoun must match the gender and number of the noun it replaces.
   • Example:
     • Ce stylo est à moi. C’est le mien.
       (This pen is mine. It’s mine.)
     • Cette maison est à elle. C’est la sienne.
       (This house is hers. It’s hers.)
2. Articles Are Mandatory:
   In French, possessive pronouns are always preceded by a definite article (le, la, les).
3. Avoid Repetition:
   Possessive pronouns are used to avoid repeating the noun.
   • Example:
     • Instead of: C’est mon livre. Ce livre est à moi. (This is my book. This book is mine.)
     • Say: C’est le mien.

Examples in Sentences

1. Singular Nouns:
   • Ce sac est à moi. C’est le mien.
     (This bag is mine.)
   • Cette voiture est à toi. C’est la tienne.
     (This car is yours.)
2. Plural Nouns:
   • Ces livres sont à nous. Ce sont les nôtres.
     (These books are ours.)
   • Ces clés sont à eux. Ce sont les leurs.
     (These keys are theirs.)
3. Comparison:
   • Ton chien est gentil, mais le mien est plus joueur.
     (Your dog is nice, but mine is more playful.)

Tips for Learning Possessive Pronouns

• Always identify the gender and number of the noun being replaced before choosing the correct pronoun.
• Practice with sentences to get used to the structure and agreement.
• Remember that possessive pronouns in French always include the definite article, unlike in English.

By mastering possessive pronouns, you’ll enhance your ability to express ownership clearly and avoid redundancy in conversations.

You can take the multiple-choice quiz.

Possessive pronouns indicate ownership or belonging and refer to nouns. In this online exercise for French grammar, choose the correct possessive pronouns for the sentences.