How to Say "its" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “its” is “su” — use 'su' when 'its' refers to a single noun that is possessed by something or someone else..
su
/soo//su/
Examples
El perro mueve su cola.
The dog wags its tail.
Es su coche.
It's his car. / It's her car. / It's their 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
El gato juega con sus juguetes.
The cat plays with its toys.
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'.
Singular vs. Plural Possessions
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