A2.28 - Exercise and lifestyle

Possessive adjectives: "Mío", "Tuyo", "Suyo", ...

Los adjetivos posesivos: "Mío", "Tuyo", "Suyo", ...

Los adjetivos posesivos detrás del sustantivo se usan para enfatizar la relación o propiedad.

(Possessive adjectives placed after the noun are used to emphasize the relationship or ownership.)

What these forms are (mío, tuyo, suyo…)

These are stressed (emphatic) possessives. They mean:

  • mío/a/os/as = mine
  • tuyo/a/os/as = yours (informal)
  • suyo/a/os/as = his / hers / yours (formal) / theirs
  • nuestro/a/os/as = ours
  • vuestro/a/os/as = yours (Spain, plural informal)

They are used to replace a noun (“mine”) or to add emphasis when placed after a noun (“a friend of mine”).

Key rule: they agree with the thing owned (not the owner)

The form changes to match the gender and number of the noun that is owned.

Owned noun Meaning Correct possessive
el móvil (m. sg.) my phone mío
la tarjeta (f. sg.) my card mía
los documentos (m. pl.) my documents míos
las llaves (f. pl.) my keys mías

Self-check: underline the owned noun first. Then choose -o / -a / -os / -as.

Two very common patterns

  1. Pattern A (replaces the noun): article + possessive

    • Mi camisa es roja, pero la tuya es azul. (…but yours is blue.)
    • ¿Es este informe tuyo o suyo? (Is this report yours or his/hers?)

  2. Pattern B (emphasis after the noun): noun + possessive = “a … of mine/yours/his…”

    • Un colega mío trabaja en Madrid. (A colleague of mine…)
    • Hablo con unas clientas tuyas. (Some clients of yours…)
    • Es una decisión nuestra. (A decision of ours…)

Don’t confuse them with possessive adjectives (mi, tu, su…)

Spanish has two different sets. The meaning is similar, but the grammar job is different.

Type Form Where it goes Example
Possessive adjective mi, tu, su, nuestro… before the noun mi entrenador, su rutina
Stressed possessive mío, tuyo, suyo, nuestro… often with article (replaces noun) or after the noun (emphasis) el entrenador mío; la tuya

Typical mistake: Es mi. → Es mío.

“Suyo” is ambiguous: make meaning clear when needed

suyo/a/os/as can mean his, her, your (formal), or their.

  • If context is clear, suyo is fine: Es una amiga suya.
  • If it could be confusing, many speakers clarify with de + pronoun:
    • una amiga de él / de ella / de usted / de ellos

Mini checklist before you answer

  1. Do I need “my” (before a noun) or “mine” (stands alone)?
    • my + noun → mi/tu/su…
    • mine / yours / his… → mío/tuyo/suyo…
  2. What is the owned noun? (gender + number)
  3. Is it replacement or emphasis?
    • replacement → often article + possessive: la mía
    • emphasis → noun + possessive: una rutina nuestra
  1. Possessive adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun.
Pronombre (Pronoun)Masculino (Masculine)Femenino (Feminine)
YoMío  / Míos Mía / Mías
TúTuyo  / Tuyos  Tuya / Tuyas
Él / EllaSuyo  / SuyosSuya / Suyas
Nosotros/asNuestro  / Nuestros Nuestra / Nuestras
Vosotros/asVuestro / Vuestros  Vuestra / Vuestras
Ellos / EllasSuyo  / SuyosSuya / Suyas

Exceptions!

  1. Be careful not to confuse possessive pronouns, such as la mía (which replace the noun: "Mi camisa es roja, pero la tuya es azul"), with possessive adjectives.

Exercise 1: Multiple choice

Instruction: Choose the correct answer

1. Este ejercicio es ___, pero puedes hacerlo tú también.

This exercise is ___, but you can do it too.

2. ¿Son ___ estas pesas o son del gimnasio?

Are these dumbbells ___ or are they the gym's?

3. Marta entrena con unas amigas ___ después del trabajo.

Marta trains with some friends ___ after work.

4. Para la clase de yoga, necesitamos ___ esterilla y vuestra toalla.

For the yoga class, we need ___ mat and your towel.

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct sentence.

1.
The emphatic possessive after the noun is missing; here it means “some exercises of yours”.
Agreement error: “ejercicios” is plural, it should be “tuyos”.
2.
Word order error: the emphatic possessive adjective must go after the noun, not before it.
Agreement error: “compañeros” is masculine plural, it requires “míos”.

Exercise 3: Rewrite the phrases

Instruction: Rewrite the sentences using the possessive adjective after the noun (mío, tuyo, suyo, nuestro, vuestro, suyo) to emphasise the relationship; example: “mi entrenador” → “el entrenador mío.”

Show/Hide translation Show/Hide hints
  1. Mi entrenador es muy paciente.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    El entrenador mío es muy paciente.
    (My trainer is very patient.)
  2. ¿Tu clase de yoga es por la mañana o por la tarde?
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    ¿La clase tuya de yoga es por la mañana o por la tarde?
    (Is your yoga class in the morning or in the afternoon?)
  3. Su rutina de ejercicios es muy corta.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    La rutina suya de ejercicios es muy corta.
    (His/Her workout routine is very short.)
  4. Hint Hint (unos) Vamos al gimnasio con nuestros compañeros del trabajo.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    Vamos al gimnasio con unos compañeros nuestros del trabajo.
    (We go to the gym with some coworkers of ours.)

Exercise 4: Grammar in action

Instruction: Speak in pairs and decide which objects belong to each person and why.

Show/Hide translation
Situation
En el gimnasio, compartes material con compañeros durante el entrenamiento de fuerza.
(At the gym, you share equipment with classmates during strength training.)
Discuss
  • ¿De quién son las pesas y las toallas de hoy? (Whose weights and towels are these today?)
  • ¿Prefieres entrenamiento de fuerza, yoga o piscina y con quién? ¿Por qué? (Do you prefer strength training, yoga, or the pool, and with whom? Why?)
Useful words and phrases
  • Las pesas tuyas son más pesadas que las mías. (Your weights are heavier than mine.)
  • La rutina nuestra ayuda a llevar una vida sana. (Our routine helps us lead a healthy life.)
  • ¿Ese ejercicio es tuyo o del instructor? (Is that exercise yours or the instructor's?)
Use in conversation
  • unas pesas tuyas / unas pesas mías (some weights of yours / some weights of mine)
  • una rutina nuestra / una rutina vuestra (a routine of ours / a routine of yours)

Written by

This content has been designed and reviewed by the coLanguage pedagogical team: About coLanguage