This French 1 lesson explains possessive adjectives step by step, with examples in French and English. Then practise with the worksheet on possessive adjectives and check yourself with the quiz.
Quick answer: French possessive adjectives agree with the noun that is owned, not with the owner: mon/ma/mes (my), ton/ta/tes (your), son/sa/ses (his, her), notre/nos (our), votre/vos (your) and leur/leurs (their). Before a feminine noun that starts with a vowel, use mon, ton or son: mon amie.
Level: French 1 (high school, ACTFL Novice) · Standards: ACTFL Novice Mid, WL 1.1 Interpersonal, WL 1.2 Interpretive, WL 1.3 Presentational, WL 2.1 Cultural Practices
Possessive adjectives: the lesson
What are the main family words in French?
Learn each noun with its article, because the gender decides which possessive you need.
| Masculine | Feminine |
|---|---|
| le père — father | la mère — mother |
| le frère — brother | la sœur — sister |
| le grand-père — grandfather | la grand-mère — grandmother |
| l’oncle — uncle | la tante — aunt |
| le cousin — cousin | la cousine — cousin |
| le fils — son | la fille — daughter |
Plurals: les parents (parents), les grands-parents (grandparents), les enfants (children).
More relatives: le neveu (nephew), la nièce (niece), le petit-fils (grandson), la petite-fille (granddaughter), le demi-frère (half-brother or stepbrother), la belle-mère (stepmother or mother-in-law). Beware of one false friend: les parents means “mom and dad,” while “relatives” is la famille or les proches. To introduce someone, say Voici ma tante Awa — Here is my aunt Awa — or Je te présente mon frère. — Let me introduce my brother.
How do you say my, your, his and her in French?
| Owner | Masculine | Feminine | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| my | mon | ma | mes |
| your (tu) | ton | ta | tes |
| his / her | son | sa | ses |
| our | notre | nos | |
| your (vous) | votre | vos | |
| their | leur | leurs | |
Agree with the thing owned
The possessive looks at the noun that follows, not at the owner. Léa aime son frère and Léo aime son frère use the same word because frère is masculine. Before a feminine noun that starts with a vowel, use the masculine form: mon amie, ton école, son idée.
Examples
- Notre tante habite à Montréal. — Our aunt lives in Montréal.
- Leurs cousins jouent au foot. — Their cousins play soccer.
Common mistake
English speakers choose son or sa according to the owner’s gender. Wrong: Marie aime sa père. Correct: Marie aime son père. Also wrong: ma amie. Correct: mon amie.
Culture note
Many French families call grandparents Mamie and Papi (or Mémé and Pépé). In West Africa, children often say tonton and tata for uncles, aunts and older family friends.
Zoé’s tip
To choose the right word, point at the thing, not the person. Ask: is the noun masculine, feminine or plural? Then pick the possessive for that noun.
Key points to remember
- Possessive adjectives agree with the thing owned: son frère can mean his brother or her brother.
- Mon, ton and son are used before feminine nouns that start with a vowel sound: mon école.
- Notre, votre and leur have one singular form; nos, vos and leurs are plural.
- Les parents means parents only; relatives is les membres de la famille.
- In French you can say ma sœur but not a possessive ‘s: la sœur de Léa.
Introducing Your Family with Mon, Ma and Mes: frequently asked questions
How do you say “my mother” and “my father” in French?
Say “ma mère” and “mon père.” Mon goes with masculine nouns, ma with feminine nouns. The plural is mes for both: mes parents.
Why do we say “mon amie” and not “ma amie”?
Before a vowel sound, ma, ta and sa would be hard to say, so French uses mon, ton and son. The noun is still feminine: mon amie, ton école, son idée.
How do you know if son means “his” or “her”?
You cannot tell from the word alone. Son, sa and ses can all mean his or her. Context or a name clears it up: son frère, Lucas can be understood from the story.
What is the difference between notre and nos?
Notre is singular: notre maison, notre chien. Nos is plural: nos amis, nos cousines. The same pattern works for votre and vos, and for leur and leurs.
Does French use an apostrophe s for possession?
No. French uses de plus the owner after the noun: le frère de Karim, la maison de mes grands-parents. A possessive adjective can replace the whole phrase: son frère.