#012: Possessives / I possessivi
Possessives in English can be either pronouns (mine, yours, his, hers, ours, yours, theirs) or adjectives (my, your, his, her, our, your, their).
In Italian, the possessive adjectives and pronouns are the same word. The way to differentiate whether an Italian possessive is an adjective or a pronoun is by its usage. If the possessive is modifying a noun, then it is a possessive adjective. If it is being used on its own or with a definite article, then it is a possessive pronoun.
In Italian, the possessives are typically coupled with a definite article (although there are exceptions – see below). Possessives must agree in gender and number with the noun they are modifying or referring to when used as pronouns.
Rules regarding possessives:
In Italian, the possessive adjectives and pronouns are the same word. The way to differentiate whether an Italian possessive is an adjective or a pronoun is by its usage. If the possessive is modifying a noun, then it is a possessive adjective. If it is being used on its own or with a definite article, then it is a possessive pronoun.
In Italian, the possessives are typically coupled with a definite article (although there are exceptions – see below). Possessives must agree in gender and number with the noun they are modifying or referring to when used as pronouns.
Rules regarding possessives:
- Possessives are generally preceded by a definite article – they agree with the object they modify and not the owner of the article:
Dov’è la tua ghiacca?
Where is your coat?
Non posso trovare le mie chiavi.
I can’t find my keys. - When a possessive pronoun directly follows essere and means mine, yours, etc, omit the article:
Di chi è questa macchina? È mia.
Whose car is this? It’s mine. - Omit the definite article when used with family members in the singular:
Mio fratello non è a casa.
My brother is not home. - With the possessive loro, family members in the plural, or family members in the singular modified by another adjective, the article is required:
plural family member:
Le mie sorelle sono occupate.
My sisters are busy.
use of the possessive, loro:
I loro zii fanno gli avvocati?
Their uncles are lawyers?
family member modified by an adjective:
La sua madre simpatica aiuta sempre i bambini con i loro compiti.
Her nice mother always helps the children with their homework. - Suo, Sua, Suoi, Sue when capitalized refer to the formal Lei form of the possessive (can also be written in lower case too):
Signor Rossi, dov’è il Suo biglietto?
Mr. Rossi, where is your ticket?
- Non posso trovare la mia giacca.
I cannot find my jacket. - Ho perso le tue chiavi. Dove sono le mie?
I lost your keys. Where are mine? - Is your brother visiting this weekend?
Tuo fratello viene a trovare questo weekend? - Her grandparents live in Milano.
I suoi nonni abitano a Milano. - Il loro cane abbaia sempre quando si suona il campanello.
Their dog always barks when you ring the bell. - Il mio bambino energico ama scuotere il sonaglio che hai comprato.
My energetic child loves to shake the rattle that you bought.
last updated: 4 November 2008
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Mr. Rossi, where is your ticket? = Signor Rossi, dov’e` il tuo biglietto?
Ummm… I think this illustration should have Suo in?
Thank you! I have made the correction.
I find your posts very useful.
Please refer to the below mentioned sentence:
La sua madre simpatico aiuta sempre i bambini con i loro compiti.
Do you think “simpatico” should be changed to “simpatica” in this sentence?
Again, thanks a lot for your posts.
Regards,
Rashmi
New Delhi, India
Thanks for the feedback and for finding my typo
You are right, it should be simpatica. I have made the correction!
Ho perso le tue chiavi. Dov’è mie?
I lost your keys. Where are mine?
shouldn’t it be
Dove sono mie?
Yes, you are right! It should be “Dove sono mie?”
I made the correction, and thank you for catching my error!
weekend should be fine settimana, right?
Weekend can be:
il weekend
il fine settimana
Both are used, although personally with my Italian friends and acquaintances, they usually use “weekend” but my teacher frequently says “fine settimana”
Hi, shouldn't it be le mie instead of mie?
Il mio bambino energetico ama scuotere il sonaglio che hai comprato.
shouldn't it be
Mio bambino?..
because as you've written above..if it's singular and it refers to the family..the article should be cancel..
Il mio bambino energetico ama scuotere il sonaglio che hai comprato.
shouldn't it be MIO BAMBINO?
because as you've written above, if it is singular then it refers to the family..the article should be cancel?
Ciao Blair:
When a family member in the singular is modified (as "bambino" is with "energetico"), you need to use the definite article.
Keith
[...] Possessive pronoun, loro, is invariable. [...]