One of the first things you need to learn when you start speaking French is how to talk about the things that belong to you — my house, my friends, our teacher, your books, and so on.

And this is where French is slightly different from English.

In English, we have one word for “my”. In French, “my” changes depending on the noun that comes after it.

Let’s make it simple!

🇫🇷 “My” in French: mon, ma, mes

There are three ways to say my:

• mon = my + masculine singular noun
• ma = my + feminine singular noun
• mes = my + plural noun

For example:

mon livre = my book
ma maison = my house
mes amis = my friends

Notice that the possessive adjective agrees with the thing that belongs to you, not with the person who owns it.

So if I am a woman, I still say:

mon livre
ma maison
mes amis

The gender of the person saying it doesn’t change the possessive adjective.

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🏠 Mon, ma or mes?

Here’s an easy way to remember it:

French	English	Example
mon	my	mon livre
ma	my	ma maison
mes	my	mes amis

Try these:

_____ chat s’appelle Félix.
→ Mon chat s’appelle Félix.

_____ chatte s’appelle Mia.
→ Ma chatte s’appelle Mia.

_____ école est près de chez moi.
→ Mon école est près de chez moi.

Why mon école, and not ma école?

Because école is feminine, but French avoids having ma + vowel here. We use mon instead:

mon école

This is a small detail, but it’s one of those things that becomes much easier when you hear and use French regularly.

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👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 “Our” in French: notre and nos

There are two ways to say our:

• notre = our + singular noun
• nos = our + plural noun

For example:

notre professeur = our teacher
nos professeurs = our teachers

notre maison = our house
nos maisons = our houses

So the important question is:

Is the noun singular or plural?

Singular → notre

Plural → nos

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👋 “Your” in French: votre and vos

When speaking formally to one person, or when speaking to several people, French uses:

• votre = your + singular noun
• vos = your + plural noun

For example:

votre voiture = your car
votre professeur = your teacher
vos livres = your books
vos clés = your keys

So:

one thing → votre

several things → vos

And remember that votre/vos can mean “your” when speaking formally to one person OR when speaking to multiple people.

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✏️ Let’s practise!

Exercise 1 — Choose the correct possessive adjective

Choose from:

mon – ma – mes – notre – nos – votre – vos

1. _____ livre est sur la table.
2. _____ maison est grande.
3. _____ amis sont très gentils.
4. Nous aimons _____ professeur.
5. Nous aimons _____ professeurs.
6. Vous cherchez _____ clés.
7. _____ chat s’appelle Félix.
8. _____ école est près de chez moi.
9. Nous faisons _____ devoirs.
10. Vous aimez _____ vacances ?
11. _____ parents habitent à Londres.

Answers

1. mon livre
2. ma maison
3. mes amis
4. notre professeur
5. nos professeurs
6. vos clés
7. mon chat
8. mon école
9. nos devoirs
10. vos vacances
11. mes parents

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🧠 A useful trick

Don’t try to translate word-for-word from English.

Instead, look at the French noun.

Ask yourself:

Is it masculine singular?

→ mon

Is it feminine singular?

→ ma

Is it plural?

→ mes

For “our”:

singular → notre

plural → nos

For formal/plural “your”:

singular → votre

plural → vos

This makes French possessives much easier to remember.

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🇫🇷 Can you translate these?

Try without looking at the answers.

1. My dog is black.
2. My friends are funny.
3. My school is big.
4. Our house is beautiful.
5. Our teacher is nice.
6. Our parents are happy.
7. Your books are on the table.
8. Your car is new.
9. Your children are very kind.
10. Your bags are heavy.

Possible answers

1. Mon chien est noir.
2. Mes amis sont drôles.
3. Mon école est grande.
4. Notre maison est belle.
5. Notre professeur est gentil / gentille.
6. Nos parents sont heureux.
7. Vos livres sont sur la table.
8. Votre voiture est neuve.
9. Vos enfants sont très gentils.
10. Vos sacs sont lourds.

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💬 French is much easier when you learn it in context

Possessive adjectives are a perfect example of why I don’t believe French should be learned as a collection of isolated grammar rules.

You need to see and hear them in real sentences:

Mon chien s’appelle Charlie.
My dog’s name is Charlie.

Ma sœur habite à Paris.
My sister lives in Paris.

Mes amis parlent français.
My friends speak French.

Notre maison est près de la mer.
Our house is near the sea.

Vos enfants sont adorables.
Your children are adorable.

The more you use these structures in meaningful conversations, the more naturally they become part of your French.

🌿 Want to learn French beyond the textbook?

In my French lessons, we don’t just memorise grammar tables. We use real conversations, everyday vocabulary, French culture and practical situations to help you actually use the language.

Whether you’re starting from zero or want to become more confident speaking French, my lessons are designed to help you move from “I know the grammar” to “I can actually speak French.”

Ready to start learning French? Get in touch to find out about my French lessons and how we can create a learning programme around your goals.