Meu, Seu, Dele? A Simple Guide to Portuguese Possessive Pronouns!
Meu, Seu, Dele Explained Simply
If in English you just need "my" and "your," in Portuguese, we have a small variation. But don't worry, it's simpler than it seems! The key rule is that the possessive word must match the gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural) of the object that is owned, not the owner. Lets dive into Portuguese possessive pronouns.
1. First Person: "My" (Eu)
Let's start practicing with my. To say that something is yours in Portuguese, you need to think about the gender of the following word.
· If you are going to talk about a feminine word, like a friend (amiga), a house (casa), or a street (rua), you need to use the feminine pronoun minha.
· If you talk about a masculine word, like brother (irmão) or cellphone (celular), you need to use the masculine pronoun meu.
· If you want to talk in the plural, just add an -s: minhas for feminine plural words and meus for masculine plural words.
Examples:
· minha amiga (my friend - female)
· meu irmão (my brother)
· minhas casas (my houses)
· meus celulares (my cellphones)
Now, to help you fixate on that, try this Flash Cards activity
2. First Person Plural: "Our" (Nós)
The same exact logic applies to our. The word must match the gender and number of the object.
· Use nossa for a singular feminine object.
· Use nosso for a singular masculine object.
· Add -s to make them plural: nossas (feminine plural) and nossos (masculine plural).
Examples:
· nossa casa (our house)
· nosso carro (our car)
· nossas malas (our suitcases)
· nossos amigos (our friends)
Now, to help you fixate on that, try this Flash Cards activity
3. How to Say "YOUR" (Seu / Sua / Seus / Suas)
Use these when you are talking to someone directly (você or vocês).
· Seu = for one masculine thing
Example: Seu carro. → Your car.
· Sua = for one feminine thing
Example: Sua casa. → Your house.
· Seus = for multiple masculine things
Example: Seus sapatos. → Your shoes.
· Suas = for multiple feminine things
Example: Suas chaves. → Your keys.
Examples:
· Você perdeu seu celular? (Did you lose your phone?)
· Sua família é brasileira? (Is your family Brazilian?)
· Seus amigos são legais. (Your friends are cool.)
· Suas malas estão prontas. (Your suitcases are ready.)
Now, to help you fixate on that, try this Flash Cards activity
4. How to Say "HIS/HER" (Dele / Dela)
Use dele for "his" and dela for "her." These words do not change.
· Dele = His
Examples:
· O carro dele. → His car.
· A casa dele. → His house.
· As ideias dele. → His ideas.
· Dela = Her
Examples:
· O carro dela. → Her car.
· A casa dela. → Her house.
· As ideias dela. → Her ideas.
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5. How to Say "THEIR" (Deles / Delas)
Use deles for "their" (male or mixed group) and delas for "their" (female group). These words also do not change.
· Deles = Their (for men or mixed groups)
Examples:
· O carro deles. → Their car.
· A casa deles. → Their house.
· Delas = Their (for women only)
Examples:
· O carro delas. → Their car.
· A casa delas. → Their house.
Conclusion: Remember This!
· Seu/Sua = Your (changes with the object).
· Dele/Dela = His/Her (does NOT change).
· Deles/Delas = Their (does NOT change).
Pro tip: When in doubt, use dele/dela/deles/delas for "his/her/their" and de você for "your." You’ll always be understood correctly! 😊
Now, to help you fixate on that, try Unjumbling this activity
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