My & Your — Possessifs Simples
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'my' for things belonging to you and 'your' for things belonging to the person you are talking to.
- Use 'my' before a noun to show it belongs to me (e.g., 'my phone').
- Use 'your' before a noun to show it belongs to you (e.g., 'your keys').
- Never put 'the' or 'a' before 'my' or 'your' (e.g., say 'my car', not 'the my car').
Overview
my et your.my et your avec assurance, en comprenant exactement pourquoi ils sont tes meilleurs alliés pour parler de toi et de ton interlocuteur sans te prendre la tête avec des terminaisons complexes.my et your, il faut d'abord regarder comment nous faisons en français. Chez nous, on dit « mon livre » (masculin), « ma voiture » (féminin) et « mes clés » (pluriel). Tu vois le travail ? On doit changer le mot selon l'objet possédé.my et your sont des adjectifs possessifs invariables. Cela signifie qu'ils ne changent JAMAIS de forme. Peu importe que l'objet soit masculin, féminin, ou qu'il y en ait un ou plusieurs, le mot reste le même.- Pour parler de soi (
my) : - En français : mon frère, ma sœur, mes parents.
- En anglais :
my brother,my sister,my parents. - Tu vois ?
myrestemy. C'est magique, non ?
- Pour parler à quelqu'un (
your) : - En français : ton ami, ta voiture, tes bagages, votre dossier, vos enfants.
- En anglais :
your friend,your car,your luggage,your file,your children. - Ici, c'est encore plus puissant :
yourremplace à lui seul « ton, ta, tes, votre, vos ».
my coffee, pas coffee my. C'est une structure SVO (Sujet-Verbe-Objet) que nous partageons, ce qui rend la construction de phrases très naturelle pour nous.my | book | books | my book / my books |your | idea | ideas | your idea / your ideas |my | friend | friends | my friend / my friends |your | phone | phones | your phone / your phones |- Pas de genre : En français, on dit « ma table » parce que « table » est féminin. En anglais, on s'en fiche ! On dit
my table. L'anglais ne donne pas de genre grammatical aux objets. - Pas de pluriel : On ne rajoute jamais de
sàmyouyour. Même si tu parles de dix voitures, c'estyour cars. - L'universalité du
your: Que tu t'adresses à ton meilleur ami (tu) ou à ton patron (vous), ou même à un groupe de personnes, tu utiliseras toujoursyour. L'anglais ne fait pas la distinction entre le tutoiement et le vouvoiement au niveau des possessifs.
my et your dans des situations très précises de la vie quotidienne. Voici les contextes les plus fréquents :- 1La possession matérielle :
This is my laptop.(C'est mon ordinateur portable — pratique au bureau !)Is this your umbrella?(Est-ce que c'est ton parapluie ?)
- 1Les relations sociales et familiales :
My sister lives in Lyon.(Ma sœur habite à Lyon.)Your boss is very professional.(Ton patron est très professionnel.)
- 1Les parties du corps (Attention, différence majeure !) :
My head hurts.(Ma tête fait mal / J'ai mal à la tête.)Wash your hands.(Lave tes mains / Lave-toi les mains.)
- 1Les informations personnelles :
What is your name?(Quel est ton nom ?)My email address is...(Mon adresse email est...)
- 1Les opinions et sentiments :
In my opinion, this is great.(À mon avis, c'est génial.)I respect your choice.(Je respecte ton choix.)
Your vs You'reYour: C'est le possessif (ton/votre). Exemple :Your car.You're: C'est la contraction deyou are(tu es / vous êtes). Exemple :You're funny(Tu es drôle).
you're. Sinon, c'est your.You're dog is cute. (Tu es chien est mignon — ça n'a aucun sens !)Your dog is cute.the head pour parler de ta propre tête.I have a pain in the arm.I have a pain in my arm.my, on a l'impression que tu parles d'un bras qui traîne sur la table et qui n'est pas à toi. C'est très étrange pour un anglophone !s à my ou your quand le nom est au pluriel.Mys friends are here.My friends are here.I (Je) | My (Mon/Ma/Mes) | Me (Moi) |You (Tu/Vous) | Your (Ton/Ta/Tes/Votre/Vos) | You (Toi/Vous) |I like my apartment.(J'aime mon appartement.) ->Iest le sujet,myest le possessif.You love your job.(Tu aimes ton travail.) ->Youest le sujet,yourest le possessif.Can you help me?(Peux-tu m'aider ?) -> Ici,meest l'objet, pas la possession.
My vs Minemine (le mien). La différence est simple :Mya toujours besoin d'un nom après lui (My car).Mineremplace le nom et s'utilise seul (This car is mine).
my et your, ce sont les plus utiles au quotidien.your change si je parle à plusieurs personnes ?your. Par exemple, devant une classe, un professeur dira : Open your books (Ouvrez vos livres).the my book ?My et your sont des déterminants complets. Ils se suffisent à eux-mêmes. On ne met jamais the ou a devant.your veut dire « ton » ou « votre » ?my s'utilise aussi pour les animaux ?my cat. En anglais, on utilise les possessifs pour tout ce qui a un lien de proximité ou de propriété avec nous, que ce soit un objet, un animal ou une personne.Subject Pronoun to Possessive Adjective
| Subject Pronoun | Possessive Adjective | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
I
|
My
|
My car
|
|
You (Singular)
|
Your
|
Your car
|
|
You (Plural)
|
Your
|
Your car (plural)
|
Meanings
Words used to express ownership, possession, or a close relationship between a person and a noun.
Legal/Physical Ownership
Used for items you bought or own physically.
“My computer is new.”
“Where is your jacket?”
Personal Relationships
Used to describe family members, friends, or colleagues.
“My sister is a doctor.”
“Is that your brother?”
Body Parts
Used to refer to parts of your own or someone else's body.
“My head hurts.”
“Wash your hands.”
Abstract Association
Used for ideas, mistakes, or things assigned to you.
“That was my mistake.”
“What is your opinion?”
Reference Table
| Pronom sujet | Adjectif possessif | Exemple |
|---|---|---|
|
I
|
my
|
C'est mon livre.
|
|
You (singular)
|
your
|
Est-ce ton téléphone ?
|
|
You (plural)
|
your
|
Ce sont vos places.
|
|
He
|
his
|
C'est sa voiture. (Aperçu !)
|
|
She
|
her
|
Son nom est Maria. (Aperçu !)
|
|
It
|
its
|
Le chien remue sa queue. (Aperçu !)
|
|
We
|
our
|
Notre professeur est sympa. (Aperçu !)
|
|
They
|
their
|
Leur maison est grande. (Aperçu !)
|
Spectre de formalité
May I inquire as to your name? (Introductions)
What is your name? (Introductions)
Your name? (Introductions)
What's your handle? (Introductions)
My & Your : À qui appartient quoi ?
Mon
- My phone M'appartient
- My name Mon identité
- My friends Personnes auxquelles je suis lié(e)
Ton
- Your book T'appartient
- Your turn Ton opportunité
- Your thoughts Idées que tu as
My vs. Your vs. You're
Décider entre Your / You're
Le mot montre-t-il une possession (à qui ça appartient) ?
Peux-tu le remplacer par 'You are' ?
Ce qui appartient à qui ?
Choses qui m'appartiennent (My)
- • book
- • phone
- • bag
- • name
- • friends
Choses qui t'appartiennent (Your)
- • keys
- • car
- • job
- • turn
Exemples par niveau
My name is Sarah.
The name belonging to me is Sarah.
Is this your book?
Does this book belong to you?
I like your hat.
I like the hat that belongs to you.
This is my house.
This house belongs to me.
My parents live in Spain.
The parents of me live in Spain.
Where are your keys?
Where are the keys that belong to you?
I need your help.
I need the help that you can give.
My favorite color is blue.
The color I like most is blue.
I really appreciate your advice.
I am thankful for the advice you gave.
My flight was delayed by two hours.
The flight I was on was late.
Is that your signature on the form?
Did you write your name there?
My understanding of the situation is different.
The way I see the situation is different.
Your being here makes a big difference.
The fact that you are here is important.
I'm sorry for my late response.
I apologize that I replied late.
Does your company offer health insurance?
Does the place where you work provide insurance?
My primary concern is the budget.
The main thing I am worried about is the money.
I've had just about enough of your constant interruptions.
I am annoyed that you keep interrupting.
My research suggests a correlation between the two variables.
The study I conducted shows a link.
It is my firm belief that we must act now.
I strongly believe we need to take action.
Your interpretation of the poem is quite unique.
The way you explain the poem is special.
The 'my' in 'my country' evokes a sense of shared destiny.
The word 'my' creates a feeling of belonging.
I must take my leave of you now.
I have to say goodbye and go.
Your having mentioned it reminds me of another story.
Because you mentioned it, I remember something else.
It is not my place to tell you how to live your life.
I do not have the authority to advise you.
Facile à confondre
They sound exactly the same in conversation.
Learners use 'me' for ownership because 'me' is the object pronoun.
Both show ownership but are used differently in a sentence.
Erreurs courantes
I name is John.
My name is John.
The my car is red.
My car is red.
Is this you pen?
Is this your pen?
I like you're dog.
I like your dog.
These are mys books.
These are my books.
I wash the my hands.
I wash my hands.
Your is a nice car.
Your car is nice.
I am waiting for you're reply.
I am waiting for your reply.
I appreciate you helping me.
I appreciate your helping me.
The company lost it's way.
The company lost its way.
Structures de phrases
This is my ___.
Is this your ___?
Where is my ___?
I like your ___.
Real World Usage
Is this my latte or your latte?
Please put your laptop in the bin.
I forgot my charger at your house!
My previous experience is in sales.
My stomach hurts since yesterday.
Living my best life!
Toujours avant le nom
Ne confonds pas your/you're
Pratique avec des objets du quotidien
Politesse en anglais
Les pluriels ne changent rien
Smart Tips
Double-check every 'your'. If you can't replace it with 'you are', it should not have an apostrophe.
Always use 'my'. Don't say 'the head' or 'the hand'.
If there is a noun, use 'my/your'. If there is no noun, use 'mine/yours'.
Don't worry about pronouncing 'your' perfectly. 'Yer' is perfectly acceptable and very common.
Prononciation
The 'Your' reduction
In fast speech, 'your' often sounds like 'yer' /jər/.
My emphasis
If you want to emphasize ownership, say 'MY' louder and longer.
Rising on 'Your' in questions
Is this YOUR ↑ bag?
Clarifying ownership in a question.
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
M is for ME (My), Y is for YOU (Your).
Association visuelle
Imagine a giant sticky note with 'MY' written on your chest, and a sticky note with 'YOUR' on the person across from you. Everything you touch gets a 'MY' sticker.
Rhyme
This is my, that is your; ownership is what they're for!
Story
I walked into a room and saw a hat. I asked, 'Is this your hat?' My friend smiled and said, 'No, that is my hat!' We both laughed because we have the same style.
Word Web
Défi
Look around your room. Point to 3 things and say 'This is my [object].' Then imagine a friend is there and point to 3 things of theirs saying 'That is your [object].'
Notes culturelles
English speakers are very specific about body parts. Saying 'The head hurts' sounds like you are a robot. Always say 'My head hurts'.
In some dialects, 'me' is used instead of 'my' (e.g., 'Where's me keys?'). This is very informal and should be avoided by learners.
Using 'your' in a generic sense to mean 'anyone's' is common (e.g., 'Your average person likes pizza').
Derived from Old English 'min' (my) and 'eower' (your).
Amorces de conversation
What is your favorite food?
Is this your first time in this city?
Tell me about your family.
What is in your bag right now?
Sujets d'écriture
Erreurs courantes
Test Yourself
This is ___ coffee.
Find and fix the mistake:
Is this you're phone?
Choose the correct sentence:
Score: /3
Exercices pratiques
8 exercisesI have a cat. ___ cat is black.
Is this ___ phone?
Find and fix the mistake:
I like you're new shoes.
name / What / your / is / ?
I, You
Mi casa es su casa (My house is your house).
...
You are a student. This is ___ classroom.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesHello, ___ name is Sarah.
Is this ___ laptop?
I like I new shoes.
Your a good student.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'Mi amigo está aquí.'
Translate into English: '¿Dónde está tu mochila?'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the pronouns with the correct possessive adjective:
Complete the sentences:
Choose the correct sentence:
Score: /12
FAQ (8)
Use `my` before a noun (my car). Use `mine` when there is no noun (It is mine).
Yes! `Your` is used for both one person and a group of people.
They sound the same, so people often type the wrong one. `You're` is 'you are', and `your` is 'belonging to you'.
Only if they are at the beginning of a sentence.
No. In English, you must choose either `the` or `my`, never both together.
It is both! English uses `your` for friends, family, and even the King or Queen.
It usually sounds like 'yore', but in fast speech, it often sounds like 'yer'.
No. You say `my book` and `my books`. The word `my` stays the same.
Scaffolded Practice
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2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
mi / tu
English doesn't change the possessive for plural objects.
mon / ma / ton / ta
English possessives are gender-neutral for the object.
mein / dein
English has no case endings for possessives.
watashi no / anata no
Japanese requires the 'no' particle, English uses a unique word.
Suffixes (-i / -ak)
English uses separate words; Arabic uses suffixes.
wo de / ni de
Chinese is almost identical in logic to English possessives.