Picture this: You’re sitting in a charming caffé in Florence, savoring the rich aroma of your Italian espresso, when someone reaches for your cup. You instinctively say, Questo caffè è mio! (This coffee is mine!) Congratulations, you just used an Italian possessive pronoun!
Whether you’re protecting your espresso, claiming your suitcase at the airport, or identifying your lost scarf, knowing how to use possessive pronouns correctly is key to mastering Italian. But don’t worry, this guide will make it easy, fun, and memorable! You’ll be introduced to the pronomi possessivi (possessive pronouns) and learn how to use them accurately.
Mastering these essential language skills is a key milestone in your learning journey, and Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion method provides ample opportunities to practice them in real-life contexts.
Table of Contents
What are Italian possessive pronouns?
Like in English, in Italian, possessive pronouns replace nouns to show ownership. Instead of saying, Questa è la mia borsa (This is my bag), you can say, È la mia (It’s mine).
Italian pronouns must also match the gender and number of the noun they replace, and they often require an Italian definite article. In Italian grammar terms, a definite article is a word like “the” in English. Italian has several definite articles: il, lo, la, l’, i, gli, and le, and which one you use depends on gender and number. When you use a possessive pronoun in Italian, it’s typically accompanied by one of these articles. This pairing is what helps make the meaning clear and it’s the default structure for most situations.
There are a few steps you can take to identify possessive pronouns in Italian when you come across them.
Italian possessive pronouns chart
First, focus on the singular masculine and feminine forms of the Italian possessive pronouns and their pronunciations. All singular masculine possessive pronouns take the singular masculine article il (the) and they all end in -o. Singular feminine possessive pronouns take the singular feminine article la (the) and they all end in -a, except loro (their).
| Masculine Singular | Feminine Singular | English | Pronunciation |
| il mio | la mia | mine | eel MEE-oh / la MEE-ah |
| il tuo | la tua | yours(informal) | eel TOO-oh / la TOO-ah |
| il suo | la sua | yours(formal) | eel SWOH / la SWAH |
| il suo | la sua | his/hers | eel SWOH / la SWAH |
| il nostro | la nostra | ours | eel NOH-stroh / la NOH-strah |
| il vostro | la vostra | yours (plural) | eel VOH-stroh / la VOH-strah |
| il loro | la loro | theirs | eel LOH-roh / la LOH-roh |
Now, look closely at the plural masculine and feminine forms of the Italian possessive pronouns and their pronunciations. All plural masculine possessive pronouns take the plural masculine article i (the) and they all end in -i. Plural feminine possessive pronouns take the plural feminine article le (the) and they all end in -e, except loro (their).
| Masculine Plural | Feminine Plural | English | Pronunciation |
| i miei | le mie | mine | MEE-ay / le MEE-ay |
| i tuoi | le tue | yours(informal) | TOO-oy / le TOO-ay |
| i suoi | le sue | yours(formal) | ee SWOY / le SWAY |
| i suoi | le sue | his/hers | ee SWOY / le SWAY |
| i nostri | le nostre | ours | ee NOH-stree / le NOH-streh |
| i vostri | le vostre | yours (plural) | ee VOH-stree / le VOH-streh |
| i loro | le loro | theirs | ee LOH-roh / le LOH-roh |
How to use possessive pronouns in Italian
Possessive pronouns in Italian don’t always follow the same rules as English. While you might say “That’s mine” in English without a second thought, in Italian, you’ll usually need to include a definite article like il or la alongside the possessive pronoun.
Here are a few examples of possessive pronouns with definite articles in action:
- La mia è rossa con strisce viola. = Mine is red with purple stripes.
- I tuoi sono sul tavolo. Ma i miei dove sono? = Yours are on the table. But where are mine?
- Il nostro è più grande però il tuo è più comodo. = Ours is bigger, but yours is more comfortable.
- Ha portato il suo passaporto? Si, il mio e anche il tuo. = Did you bring your passport? Yes, mine and yours.
- Quelle valigie non sono le nostre. = Those suitcases are not ours.
- I miei fratelli e i vostri cugini si sono conosciuti in vacanza. = My brothers and your cousins met on holidays.
- Devono spostare la loro auto. = They have to move their car.
- Questi sono le vostre valigie e quelle sono le sue. = These are your suitcases and those are hers.
The article and possessive pronouns work as a unit. However, take note of a couple of exceptions when you need to drop the article.
Definite article exceptions
Although including the Italian article is standard in most cases, there are two common situations when it’s left out. These are specific, so keep them in mind as exceptions rather than alternate rules.
Referring to family members
When you’re referring to family members, you’ll usually omit the article, but only if the noun is singular and unmodified. This is one of those charming quirks of Italian that reflects the importance of family.
- Mia madre è sempre tanto impegnata. = My mother is always so busy.
- Tuo fratello conosce la cantante italiana Elisa, che bello! = Your brother knows the Italian singer Elisa, how beautiful!
- Sua cugina vive a Milano con la sua migliore amica. = His cousin lives in Milan with his best friend.
But, if the family noun is plural, modified, or affectionate, you must use the article!
- La mia cara mamma si preoccupa troppo. = My dear mom worries too much.
- I miei genitori sono anziani ma in buona forma. = My parents are old, but in good shape.
- Il loro dolce papà è una persona meravigliosa. = Their sweet father is a wonderful person.
Following the verb, essere
Another place you might hear Italian possessive pronouns without the article is after the verb essere (to be). In these cases, omitting the article is completely acceptable, and even preferred in casual conversation. You’ll still see both forms used, especially in writing.
- Scusi, questo posto è mio. È scritto sul mio biglietto. = Pardon, this seat is mine. It’s written on my ticket.
- Tecla, questa giacca è tua o di Marta? = Tecla, is this jacket yours or Marta’s?
- Vi sbagliate, non sono miei. Sono vostri. = You are wrong, they are not mine. They are yours.
Both È il mio (It is mine) and È mio (It is mine) are correct, though the article is more common in writing.
Italian possessive pronouns vs. possessive adjectives
In Italian, some possessive pronouns look exactly like possessive adjectives, but they aren’t used the same way. So, how do you know which one you’re dealing with? It all depends on what comes after the word. To make sure you’re choosing the right form, ask yourself these two simple questions:
1. Is there an Italian noun directly after the possessive word?
If yes, then you’re using a possessive adjective. These are words like mia, tuo, and nostra that describe who something belongs to and always come before a noun.
- È il mio cellulare che suona. = It’s my cell phone that’s ringing.
- Ho trovato la tua chiave sotto il tappeto. = I found your key under the carpet.
- Questo è il nostro cane. Si chiama Toto. = This is our dog. His name is Toto.
- Dove sono i tuoi jeans bianchi? = Where are your white jeans?
In each of these, the possessive Italian adjective is followed immediately by a noun (cellulare, chiave, cane, jeans), and it matches that noun in gender and number.
2. Is the noun implied or missing entirely?
If yes, then you’re using a possessive pronoun. These words stand in place of the noun, not in front of it, just like the words mine or yours in English.
- Sono i vostri. = They are yours
- Ho trovato la tua. = I found yours.
- Questo è il nostro. = This is ours.
- Dove sono i tuoi? = Where are yours?
Even though the Italian form doesn’t change here, the function does. Instead of modifying a noun, the possessive pronoun replaces it completely, often because the noun has already been mentioned or is understood from context.
Here’s a quick breakdown of how the same word can be used in two different ways:
- il mio
- As a possessive adjective: il mio cellulare = my cellphone
- As a possessive pronoun: il mio = mine
When in doubt, look for a noun. If it’s there, you’re working with a possessive adjective. If the noun is missing or implied, you’re using a possessive pronoun instead.
How to say ‘yours,’ ‘his,’ and ‘hers’ in Italian
Some Italian possessive pronouns do double duty. They can mean different things depending on the context. One set of words you’ll see often is suo, sua, suoi, and sue—take a closer look at how these forms work and how to tell them apart.
In English, possessive pronouns clearly indicate the owner:
- His coat
- Her coat
- Your (formal) coat
In Italian, however, the possessive pronouns suo, sua, suoi, and sue can mean his, hers, or yours (formal), so context is essential!
| Italian | Possible Meanings in English |
| Il suo libro | his book/her book/your (formal) book |
| La sua macchina | his car/her car/your (formal) car |
| I suoi amici | his friends/her friends/your (formal) friends |
| Le sue scarpe | his shoes/her shoes/your (formal) shoes |
Using context to determine the meaning
Since suo, sua, suoi, and sue are gendered based on the object (not the owner), context is necessary to understand who the item belongs to.
Marco: Dov’è il suo telefono? = Where is his/her/your (formal) phone?
Giulia: Il suo telefono è sulla scrivania. = His/Her/Your (formal) phone is on the desk.
Marco: Ok, grazie sì quello è il suo. = OK, thanks, yes that is his.
How do you know who suo refers to? Marco and Giulia are talking about a phone, telefono, which is a masculine noun so the correct possessive pronoun is suo.
Avoid ambiguity with ‘di + pronoun’
To make sure suo, sua, suoi, and sue aren’t unclear, you can specify the owner by using the preposition di (of) before the pronoun. So, di + lui means “of him” or di + lei means “of her.”
- È il suo cappotto. = It’s his/her/your coat.
- È il cappotto di lui. = It’s his coat.
- È la sua borsa. = It’s his/her/your bag.
- È la borsa di lei. = It’s her bag.
- Sono i suoi libri. = They are his/her/your books.
- Sono i libri di Marco. = They are Marco’s books.
If you know the owner’s name, then use di + name instead of di lui or di lei.
Using suo, sua, suoi, sue to mean ‘your’ (formal)
In Italian, the possessive pronouns suo, sua, suoi, and sue don’t just mean “his” or “her,” they can also mean “your” when you’re speaking to someone formally. Anytime you’re addressing someone you don’t know well, someone older, or anyone you’d show professional respect to (like a professor or doctor), you’ll want to switch from tuo, tua, tuoi, and tue (informal) to suo forms.
Here’s how it plays out in everyday conversation:
- Doctor: Ha preso la sua medicina? = Did you take your medicine?
- Elderly Patient: Sì, ho preso la mia medicina. = Yes, I took my medicine.
- Professor: Questo è il suo compito? = Is this your homework?
- Student: Sì, professore. È il mio. = Yes, professor. It’s mine.
You can also spot the difference in simple phrases like these:
- il tuo compito = your homework (informal)
- il suo compito = your homework (formal)
Here’s a side-by-side look at the difference:
| Italian Informal: tuo, tua, tuoi, tue | Italian Formal: suo, sua, suoi, sue | English |
| Il tuo cappuccino | Il suo cappucino | Your cappuccino |
| La tua sedia | La sua sedia | Your chair |
| Le tue scarpe | Le sue scarpe | Your shoes |
Remember to use suo, sua, suoi, sue when speaking formally to someone you respect!
- Professor Marchi il suo taxi è appena arrivato. = Professor Marchi, your taxi just arrived.
- Signora Sorrentino, posso prendere la sua giacca? = Ms. Sorrentino, may I take your jacket?
- Dottor Timbaldi, il suo paziente è nella sala d’attesa. = Doctor Timbaldi, your patient is in the waiting room.
When in doubt, err on the side of formality, especially in new or professional settings. It’s one of the subtle ways to show respect in Italian.
Confidently use Italian possessive pronouns with Rosetta Stone
Understanding i pronomi possessivi in italiano (Italian possessive pronouns) is a key milestone in your language journey. Once you know how to use them correctly—matching gender and number, clarifying ownership, and applying them naturally in conversation—you’re well on your way to speaking Italian with confidence.
Mastering Italian possessive pronouns by using them in everyday situations can also help you use these Italian parts of speech accurately and ultimately gain fluency. Italian possessive pronouns can sound quite similar, but Rosetta Stone’s TruAccent speech recognition engine can help you ensure your pronunciation is on target.
By practicing regularly and immersing yourself in the language through real-life contexts, engaging exercises, and trusted resources, you’ll master i pronomi possessivi in no time. Buono studio!
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