Possessive Determiners For Intermediate learners
What Are Possessive Determiners (Les déterminants Possessifs) in French?
Possessive determiners (les déterminants Possessifs) are words used before a noun to show ownership or relationship.In French, they agree in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) with the noun they modify, not with the person who owns it.
In English, these are my, your, his, her, our, their.
Forms of Possessive Determiners
Here's a table of French possessive determiners:
Owner (person) | Masculine Singular | Feminine Singular | Plural (both genders) |
|---|---|---|---|
je (I) | mon | ma | mes |
tu (you) | ton | ta | tes |
il/elle (he/she) | son | sa | ses |
nous (we) | notre | notre | nos |
vous (you) | votre | votre | vos |
ils/elles (they) | leur | leur | leurs |
Gender Agreement
The determiner agrees with the noun they modify, not the owner.
son livre
his book / her book
"livre" is a masculine noun so we use "son".
sa maison
his house / her house
"maison": singualr feminine
leurs enfants
their children
"enfants": plural (both genders)
Tip!
When a feminine singular noun starts with a vowel or mute h, we use the masculine form to make pronunciation easier.
mon amie
my (female) friend
"amie" is feminine word but for easier pronunciation we use "mon" instead of "ma".
ton hôtel
your hotel
Plural Form
For plural nouns, the same form is used for both masculine and feminine: mes, tes, ses, nos, vos, leurs.
mes livres
my books
tes amies
your friends
Placement
Possessive determiners always go before the noun, just like English.
Elle cherche sa clé.
She is looking for her key.
Son histoire est intéressante.
His/Her story is interesting.
Body Parts and Possessive Determiners
In French, possessive determiners are often not used with body parts when the owner is clear. French prefers a definite article instead.
Je me lave les mains.
I wash my hands.
Il a mal à la tête.
He has a headache.
Possessive determiners are used with body parts when:
the owner is not clear
Il a pris ma main.
He took my hand. (not his)
there is contrast or comparison
Il a cassé son bras, pas le mien.
He broke his arm, not mine.
the body part is described as a separate or independent entity
Elle protège ses yeux du soleil.
She protects her eyes from the sun.
Possessive Determiners vs. Possessive Pronouns
Determiners come before a noun but pronouns replace the noun. Look at the examples below:
C'est mon livre. (determiner)
This is my book.
Never use a possessive determiner without a noun.
Ce livre est le mien. (pronoun)
This book is mine.
Liaison
If a determiner ends in a consonant sound and the next word starts with a vowel or mute h, a liaison may occur.
mes amis → /me.z‿ami/
my friends
the 's' in "mes" is pronounced as a /z/ sound linking to "amis".
tes idées → /te.z‿ide/
your ideas
mon amie → /mɔ̃.n‿ami/
my friend
son histoire → /sɔ̃.n‿istwaʁ/
his/her story
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