If you want to identify belongings and relationships as “his” in Spanish, you’ll need to choose the correct word. Is it su, sus, de él, or a form of suyo? All of these are possible depending on the context.
While one word does the trick in English, saying “his” in Spanish involves deciding between singular and plural forms, short or long forms, and avoiding ambiguity. Master everything you need to know about saying “his” in Spanish with these explanations and examples.
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How to say ‘his’ in Spanish
There are various parts of speech in Spanish that can mean “his” and knowing these will help you narrow your choice. The word or form you use will also depend on the grammatical gender and number of the possessed/owned noun it precedes. In the table, you’ll see a number of ways to say “his.”
| Spanish Part of Speech | Masculine Singular | Feminine Singular | Masculine Plural | Feminine Plural |
| possessive adjective (short form) | su | su | sus | sus |
| possessive adjective (long form) | suyo | suya | suyos | suyas |
| possessive pronoun | el suyo | la suya | los suyos | las suyas |
If you’re familiar with the full range of possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns in Spanish, you’ll also notice that these words for “his” are identical to the forms used for “her/hers” in Spanish as well as “their” and the formal and plural “your/yours.”
Su/sus
Su/sus are a common and natural way to say “his” in Spanish when describing possessions, relationships, favorites, and more.
These short-form possessive adjectives precede the noun they modify, and must agree with that noun in number. Unlike other adjectives that must also agree in gender, su/sus are gender neutral (used for both masculine and feminine nouns) and only change to match the number of the noun.
Both su and sus can mean “his” in Spanish. Which one you use depends on whether the word that follows is singular or plural.
- Ella es su prima.= She is his cousin.
- Ellas son sus primas. = They are his cousins.
Suyo/suya/suyos/suyas
The long-form possessive adjectives for “his” in Spanish would be suyo, suya, suyos, or suyas. They vary depending on whether the noun they describe is masculine, feminine, singular, or plural. This is a familiar pattern recognizable in many Spanish adjectives.
- Este lápiz es suyo. = This pencil is his.
- Esta mochila es suya. = This backpack is his.
- Estos marcadores son suyos. = These markers are his.
- Estas carpetas son suyas. = These folders are his.
Su and suyo are considered synonyms in the Diccionario de la Lengua Española (official Spanish language dictionary). The next time you encounter these words, take note of the context and how native speakers use them.
Say de él when the possessive adjective is ambiguous
Because the forms of “his” are identical to other possessive adjectives like “her,” “hers,” “yours,” and others, if the context is unclear, the phrase de él (of him) is useful.
- Alguien dejó su móvil en la mesa. Creo que es de Laura o de Marco. = Someone left his or her phone on the table. I think it’s Laura’s or Marco’s.
- Sí, creo que es de él. El teléfono de ella es verde.= Yes, I think it’s his. Her phone is green.
Using possessive pronouns for ‘his’
Possessive pronouns in Spanish are similar to long-form possessive adjectives but include a definite article el/la/los/las (the), and take the place of Spanish nouns in a sentence. Use el suyo, la suya, los suyos, or las suyas to say “his” in Spanish in this way. Remember, the form will agree with the gender and number of the noun it replaces.
- No tengo un lápiz, pero mi compañero puede darme el suyo. = I don’t have a pencil, but my classmate can lend me his.
- Mi computadora está rota, pero mi padre me dio la suya. = My computer is broken, but my father gave me his.
- Mi hermana tiene sus zapatos. Mi hermano está buscando los suyos. = My sister has her shoes. My brother is looking for his.
- Se me olvidaron mis llaves, pero mi esposo me va a traer las suyas. = I forgot my keys, but my husband is going to bring me his.
If learning rules about parts of speech seems intimidating, you can count on our experts to help you with your specific questions during Rosetta Stone’s live lessons and tutoring.
When not to say ‘his’ in Spanish
Spanish sentences, even common ones, are often phrased differently than in English. For example, me llamo, or “my name is” in Spanish doesn’t technically use the word “my.” Here are some common translations where “his” doesn’t even appear in Spanish.
- “His name is” in Spanish is better expressed using the reflexive verb llamarse (to call oneself), which is why you don’t see a form of “his” in se llama (he calls himself).
- Ese hombre es mi vecino. Se llama Samuel. = That man is my neighbor. His name is Samuel.
- To refer to body parts, Spanish does not use a possessive, as it would be considered redundant.
- Francisco se rompió la pierna. = Francisco broke his leg.
Now that you’ve mastered “his” in Spanish, you can correctly identify belongings, family relationships, and favorites when you want to refer to a friend, family member, pet, or acquaintance.
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