How to Say "his" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “his” is “su” — use 'su' before a singular noun when the possessor is male (or female, or plural group) and the possession is singular. It functions like 'his', 'her', 'its', or 'their' before a noun..
su
/soo//su/
Examples
Es su coche.
It's his car.
María busca su llave.
María is looking for her key.
Señor, ¿es su maleta?
Sir, is this your suitcase?
One Word, Many Meanings
'Su' is a super-useful word that can mean 'his,' 'her,' 'its,' 'your' (formal), or 'their.' You figure out which one it is from the context of the conversation.
Making it Plural: 'sus'
If the thing being owned is plural (like 'books'), you add an 's' to make it 'sus.' For example, 'su libro' (his book) becomes 'sus libros' (his books).
Forgetting the Plural 's'
Mistake: “Es su zapatos.”
Correction: Son sus zapatos. If the *thing* is plural (zapatos), you must use 'sus,' even if the owner is just one person.
Mixing Up 'su' and 'tu'
Mistake: “Señor, ¿es tu coche?”
Correction: Señor, ¿es su coche? Use 'su' when talking to someone formally ('usted'), and 'tu' when talking to someone informally ('tú').
sus
/soos//sus/
Examples
Ellos aman a sus perros.
They love their dogs.
Sus ojos son azules.
His/Her eyes are blue.
Profesora, ¿podemos usar sus lápices?
Teacher, can we use your pencils?
It's About the Items, Not the Owner
Use 'sus' when the things being owned are plural (more than one). For just one thing, use 'su'. Compare: 'su libro' (one book) vs. 'sus libros' (many books).
Who's the Owner?
'Sus' can mean 'his', 'her', 'its', 'their', or 'your' (for a group). You figure out who the owner is from the rest of the conversation.
Mixing Up 'Su' and 'Sus'
Mistake: “Él tiene su libros.”
Correction: Say 'Él tiene sus libros.' The word must match the number of *items*, not the number of owners. Since 'libros' (books) is plural, you must use 'sus'.
suyo
/soo-yoh//ˈsu.ʝo/
Examples
Mi coche es rojo, pero el suyo es negro.
My car is red, but his is black.
¿Es esta chaqueta tuya o es la suya?
Is this jacket yours, or is it theirs?
Nuestra casa es más antigua que la suya.
Our house is older than theirs.
Un amigo suyo me llamó anoche.
A friend of his/hers/theirs called me last night.
Possessive Pronouns Replace Nouns
A possessive pronoun like 'suyo' replaces a person or thing that has already been mentioned, telling you who owns it. It always uses the article (el, la, los, las) before it.
Matches the Owned Item
'Suyo' must agree in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) with the thing being owned, not the owner.
The Ambiguity of 'Suyo'
'Suyo' can mean his, hers, yours (formal), its, or theirs. If the meaning is unclear from the context, Spanish speakers often clarify by saying 'de él', 'de ella', or 'de usted'.
Placed After the Noun
When 'suyo' is used as an adjective, it is placed after the noun it describes (e.g., 'el coche suyo'). This contrasts with the shorter possessive forms ('su coche').
Long Possessive Forms
This 'long' form (mío, tuyo, suyo, etc.) is less common than the short form ('mi, tu, su') but is often used after 'un' or 'una' to mean 'a [thing] of mine/yours/his'.
Forgetting the Article
Mistake: “Este libro es suyo. (No article)”
Correction: Este libro es el suyo. (Correct usage with 'el'.) The article is essential when 'suyo' acts as a stand-alone pronoun.
Overusing the Long Form
Mistake: “La casa suya es bonita.”
Correction: Su casa es bonita. (Use the shorter form 'su' before the noun for general descriptions and higher frequency.)
suyo
/soo-yoh//ˈsu.ʝo/
Examples
Un amigo suyo me llamó anoche.
A friend of his called me last night.
Mi coche es rojo, pero el suyo es negro.
My car is red, but his/hers/yours (formal) is black.
¿Es esta chaqueta tuya o es la suya?
Is this jacket yours, or is it theirs?
Nuestra casa es más antigua que la suya.
Our house is older than theirs.
Possessive Pronouns Replace Nouns
A possessive pronoun like 'suyo' replaces a person or thing that has already been mentioned, telling you who owns it. It always uses the article (el, la, los, las) before it.
Matches the Owned Item
'Suyo' must agree in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) with the thing being owned, not the owner.
The Ambiguity of 'Suyo'
'Suyo' can mean his, hers, yours (formal), its, or theirs. If the meaning is unclear from the context, Spanish speakers often clarify by saying 'de él', 'de ella', or 'de usted'.
Placed After the Noun
When 'suyo' is used as an adjective, it is placed after the noun it describes (e.g., 'el coche suyo'). This contrasts with the shorter possessive forms ('su coche').
Long Possessive Forms
This 'long' form (mío, tuyo, suyo, etc.) is less common than the short form ('mi, tu, su') but is often used after 'un' or 'una' to mean 'a [thing] of mine/yours/his'.
Forgetting the Article
Mistake: “Este libro es suyo. (No article)”
Correction: Este libro es el suyo. (Correct usage with 'el'.) The article is essential when 'suyo' acts as a stand-alone pronoun.
Overusing the Long Form
Mistake: “La casa suya es bonita.”
Correction: Su casa es bonita. (Use the shorter form 'su' before the noun for general descriptions and higher frequency.)
Su vs. Suyo: Noun or Pronoun?
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