1st sing.
mi / mis
Spanish 101 · Grammar
Possessive adjectives
Possessives agree with the thing owned, not with the owner — su is ambiguous until context names the possessor.
The rule
mi/mis, tu/tus, su/sus show singular/plural of the noun possessed: mi libro, mis libros.
Nuestro/nuestra/nuestros/nuestras and vuestro/vuestra… also mark gender: nuestra casa.
Su/sus can mean his, her, its, your (usted), or their — clarify with de + person if needed: su libro de ella.
After ser with family, articles often appear: Es mi hermana vs. Es la hermana de Juan — patterns vary; follow your text.
Nuestros profesores son exigentes pero justos.Our professors are demanding but fair.
¿Dónde están tus llaves?Where are your keys?
Examples in context
Estudio español todos los días.I study Spanish every day.present habit
¿Puedes ayudarme con la tarea?Can you help me with the homework?request
Voy a la biblioteca después de clase.I go to the library after class.movement
No entiendo esta palabra.I do not understand this word.negation
Me gusta la música latina.I like Latin music.gustar
Tenemos clase mañana a las nueve.We have class tomorrow at nine.tener + noun
¿Dónde está el aula?Where is the classroom?estar — location
Es un examen difícil.It is a difficult exam.ser — description
Quick reference
2nd sing.
tu / tus
3rd / usted
su / sus (+ clarify if ambiguous)
Common mistakes
Wrong agreement
❌ Wrong: La problema es fácil.
✅ Correct: El problema es fácil.
Problema is masculine despite ending in -a.
Double subjects
❌ Wrong: Yo soy yo estudiante.
✅ Correct: Soy estudiante.
Drop redundant subject pronouns when the verb ending is clear.
Negation placement
❌ Wrong: Entiendo no.
✅ Correct: No entiendo.
Place no immediately before the conjugated verb.
Literal word order
❌ Wrong: ¿Qué hora es qué?
✅ Correct: ¿Qué hora es?
Keep standard question frames; do not copy English order.
Practice questions
Test what you just learned. Select an answer to see instant feedback.
_____ hermana estudia medicina.
Ellos viven en _____ casa nueva.
_____ amigos son de Colombia.
¿Dónde están _____ llaves?
Me gusta _____ clase de literatura.
You got 0/5 correct.
Want more practice on Possessive adjectives?
Chapurra has 50 questions like these, organized by chapter. Capítulo Preliminar is free.
Start practicing free →FAQ
Why is el problema masculine if it ends in -a?
Many -ma words come from Greek roots and stay masculine: el programa, el clima, el mapa. Gender is lexical—you memorize article + noun as a chunk rather than trusting the final vowel alone.
How do adjectives agree if there are two nouns of different genders?
Traditional rules use the masculine plural default for mixed groups: Carlos y Ana son altos in some frames, or repeat adjectives for precision. Follow what your instructor models; inclusive language variants exist but may not match every exam key.
Do accent marks change pronunciation every time?
They always mark stress when it breaks the default penultimate/antepenultimate pattern, and they distinguish homographs (tu/tú, el/él). Learning them is part of spelling accuracy in courses that grade written accents.
When do I use tú vs. usted in the verb chart?
Match the social situation your syllabus targets. Usted shares forms with él/ella in many regions. Vosotros appears in Spain-focused materials. Latin-American classrooms often emphasize tú/usted/ustedes plus recognition of vosotros.
What is the difference between ordinal and cardinal numbers in dates?
Cardinals are usual in spoken dates after the first: el dos de mayo. Primero is common for the first of the month: el primero de mayo. Written forms vary; copy your textbook’s style for exams.