How to Say "your" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “your” is “tu” — use 'tu' when addressing one person informally (like a friend or family member) and referring to a single item they possess..
tu
/too//tu/
Examples
¿Es este tu coche?
Is this your car?
Me encanta tu nueva chaqueta.
I love your new jacket.
No olvides tu paraguas, parece que va a llover.
Don't forget your umbrella, it looks like it's going to rain.
What does 'tu' do?
'Tu' is like a 'your' sticker. You place it in front of a word to show that the item belongs to the person you are talking to informally.
Always Before the 'Thing'
In Spanish, 'tu' always comes right before the noun it describes. For example, you say 'tu coche' (your car), not 'coche tu'.
One 'Thing' vs. Many 'Things'
Use 'tu' for one item ('tu libro' - your book). If the person has more than one, just add an 's' to make it 'tus' ('tus libros' - your books).
tu vs. tú (The Accent is Everything!)
Mistake: “Me gusta tú casa.”
Correction: Me gusta tu casa. The word 'tu' without an accent means 'your'. The word 'tú' with an accent means 'you' (the person). They are never interchangeable.
tu vs. su (Informal vs. Formal)
Mistake: “Disculpe, señor, ¿es este tu bolígrafo?”
Correction: Disculpe, señor, ¿es este su bolígrafo? Use 'tu' for people you talk to informally (friends, family). Use 'su' for people you need to be polite or formal with (strangers, elders, bosses).
tus
/toos//tus/
Examples
¿Dónde están tus llaves?
Where are your keys?
Me encantan tus zapatos nuevos.
I love your new shoes.
Tus amigos son muy simpáticos.
Your friends are very nice.
Showing Who Owns What
'Tus' is used to say that multiple things belong to 'you'. Think of it as the informal 'your' for more than one item.
'Tu' vs. 'Tus'
Use 'tu' for one thing ('tu libro' - your book) and 'tus' for more than one thing ('tus libros' - your books). The ending changes to match the number of items.
Always Informal
'Tus' is the partner of 'tú' (the informal 'you'). You use it with friends, family, and people your age.
Using 'Tus' for One Thing
Mistake: “Me gusta tus perro.”
Correction: Me gusta tu perro. Because 'perro' is just one dog, you need to use 'tu' without the 's'.
Formal vs. Informal 'Your'
Mistake: “Señor Pérez, ¿cómo están tus hijos?”
Correction: Señor Pérez, ¿cómo están sus hijos? Use 'tus' with people you call 'tú' (informal). For formal situations with 'usted' (like with Señor Pérez), you need to use 'sus'.
su
/soo//su/
Examples
Es su libro.
It's his/her/their/your (formal) book.
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
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'.
tuya
/TOO-yah//ˈtu.ʝa/
Examples
Una amiga tuya me llamó.
A friend of yours called me.
La culpa no fue mía, fue culpa tuya.
The fault wasn't mine, it was your fault.
Vi a una prima tuya en el supermercado.
I saw a cousin of yours at the supermarket.
Placed After for Emphasis
Putting 'tuya' after the noun it describes (like 'una amiga tuya') is a bit like saying 'a friend of yours' in English. It can add a little emphasis or just sound more natural in certain sentences.
Using 'tu' After a Noun
Mistake: “Una amiga tu me llamó.”
Correction: Una amiga tuya me llamó. When the 'your' word comes *after* the person or thing, you must use the longer form ('tuyo', 'tuya', 'tuyos', 'tuyas') and make sure it matches.
vuestro
/vwes-tro//bwestɾo/
Examples
Este es vuestro coche, ¿verdad?
This is your car, right?
Vuestras ideas son muy buenas.
Your ideas (plural and feminine) are very good.
Hemos leído vuestra carta.
We have read your letter (singular and feminine).
Agreement is Key
This word must match the thing being possessed (the noun) in gender and number, not the people who own it. Example: 'vuestro libro' (masculine singular), 'vuestras maletas' (feminine plural).
Regional Use (Spain)
This word is almost exclusively used in Spain because it corresponds to 'vosotros' (the informal plural 'you'). In Latin America, people use 'su' or 'suyo' instead.
Using 'vuestro' in Latin America
Mistake: “¿Dónde está vuestro hotel? (Used in Mexico/Argentina)”
Correction: Use 'su' instead: ¿Dónde está su hotel? (This is because Latin America uses 'ustedes' instead of 'vosotros'.)
suyas
/soo-yahs//ˈsuʝas/
Examples
Las decisiones suyas nos afectaron a todos.
His/Her/Their/Your (formal/plural) decisions affected us all.
No me gustan las opiniones suyas; prefiero las mías.
I don't like his/her/their opinions; I prefer mine.
Placement for Emphasis
Unlike the short possessive ('sus'), 'suyas' is placed AFTER the noun (e.g., 'las casas suyas') to draw special attention to the ownership, often in contrast to someone else's items.
Overuse of Long Form
Mistake: “Using 'las cosas suyas' in everyday speech when you simply mean 'their things.'”
Correction: For standard, non-emphatic possession, use the short form 'sus cosas.' The long form 'suyas' is reserved for special situations.
Formality and Number are Key
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