Possessive adjectives in French, like in English, describe ownership or belonging. They must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify, not with the owner.

Singular Possessive Adjectives

When addressing singular nouns, it's essential to use the correct form based on the gender of the noun:

For "my" (mon, ma)

• Mon: used with masculine singular nouns or any singular noun starting with a vowel.

  • C'est mon livre. (It's my book.)
  • C'est mon amie. (It's my (female) friend. - Note the vowel sound beginning)

• Ma: used with feminine singular nouns.

  • C'est ma maison. (It's my house.)

For "your" (informal - ton, ta)

• Ton: used with masculine singular nouns or any singular noun starting with a vowel.

  • C'est ton stylo. (It's your pen.)
  • C'est ton école. (It's your school. - Note the vowel sound beginning)

• Ta: used with feminine singular nouns.

  • C'est ta sœur. (It's your sister.)

For "his/her/its" (son, sa)

• Son: used with masculine singular nouns or any singular noun starting with a vowel.

  • C'est son chien. (It's his/her/its dog.)
  • C'est son idée. (It's his/her/its idea. - Note the vowel sound beginning)

• Sa: used with feminine singular nouns.

  • C'est sa voiture. (It's his/her/its car.)

For "our" (notre)

Works for both masculine and feminine singular nouns. - C'est notre professeur. (It's our teacher.) - Voici notre chambre. (Here is our room.)

For "your" (formal/plural - votre)

Works for both masculine and feminine singular nouns. - C'est votre opinion. (It's your opinion.) - Voilà votre jardin. (There's your garden.)

For "their" (leur)

Works for both masculine and feminine singular nouns. - C'est leur enfant. (It's their child.) - Voici leur maison. (Here is their house.)

Plural Possessive Adjectives

When addressing plural nouns, the same pattern of possessive adjectives should be used, adjusted for plural forms:

For "my" (mes)

• Ce sont mes livres. (These are my books.)

For "your" (informal - tes)

• Ce sont tes stylos. (These are your pens.)

For "his/her/its" (ses)

• Ce sont ses cousins. (These are his/her/its cousins.)

For "our" (nos)

• Ce sont nos amis. (These are our friends.)

For "your" (formal/plural - vos)

• Ce sont vos enfants. (These are your children.)

For "their" (leurs)

• Ce sont leurs projets. (These are their projects.)

The gender agreement applies only to the singular possessive adjectives, while plural forms remain the same regardless of gender. Understanding these subtleties is crucial for speaking and writing correctly in French.