G4.1 – Aggettivi e pronomi possessivi

G4.1 – Aggettivi e pronomi possessivi

Possessive adjectives express ownership, possession, or relationship. They agree in gender and number with the object that is possessed not with the owner. Typically the possessive adjective is preceded by the definite article.

Example: 

  • Giovanna è la mia professoressa -> Giovanna is my professor.
  • La nostra casa è piccola -> Our house is small.

 

masculine singular masculine plural feminine singular feminine plural
my il mio i miei la mia le mie
your (singular) il tuo i tuoi la tua le tue
your (formal) il Suo i Suoi la Sua le Sue
his / hers il suo i suoi la sua le sue
our il nostro i nostri la nostra le nostre
your (plural) il vostro i vostri la vostra le vostre
their il loro i loro la loro le loro

 

 

The definite article is used with

The definite article is NOT used with
Singular and plural nouns referring to objects and pets.

  • La mia macchina è nuova. – My car is new.
  • Il mio cane è un Labrador – My dog is a Labrador.

Plural nouns referring to family members nouns.

  • Le mie sorelle lavorano troppo. My sisters work too much.

Modified singular nouns referring to family members nouns.

  • La mia zia americana ha due figli. My American aunt has two children.

The pronoun LORO is invariable and always require the definite article.

  • Il loro cane è marrone. Their dog is brown.
  • I loro genitori sono severi. Their parents are strict.

 

 Singular and unmodified family members nouns.

Mio fratello è tirchio – My brother is stingy. 

Mia nonna è anziana – My grandma is old. 

 

 

I pronomi possessivi:

  • Possessive pronouns are equivalent to mine, yours, his, hers, etc, and they are used to replace the nouns that they are referring to.
  • They use the same structure as the possessive adjective and they are accompanied by the definite article.
    • La mia famiglia vive a Roma, e la tua? -> My family lives in Rome, and yours?
    • I nostri fratelli rimangono a casa, e i vostri? -> Our brothers stay at home, and yours?

 

Note that the expression  i miei, i tuoi, i tuoi etc. is frequently used instead of i miei/i tuoi/ i tuoi genitori.

Come stanno i vostri? -> How are your parents?

How to express possession

Possession is expressed by the preposition DI

Esempio:

Questo libro è di Paolo. –> this is Paolo’s book.

I fratelli di Samanta sono simpatici. –> Samanta’s brothers are nice.

For other uses of the preposition DI check Le preposizioni semplici/Unit4

 

The following activities are not graded. You can use them to practice while you study. Please go to Canvas to complete your graded activities. 

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