Expressing possession in French is different from English. Instead of using 's, French often uses "de" followed by the possessor. French possessive adjectives agree with the modified noun, not the possessor, unlike in English.

French uses definite articles for body parts and clothing when the context is clear, while English uses possessive adjectives. This chapter covers using "de" for possession and the various forms of French possessive adjectives.

Possession in French vs English

Expressing Possession

In French, possession is typically expressed using the preposition "de" followed by the possessor, which differs from English where possession is often indicated by the apostrophe and the letter "s" ('s)
French possessive adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun they modify, not with the possessor, unlike English possessive adjectives which remain the same regardless of the noun they modify

Definite Articles with Body Parts and Clothing

In French, the definite article (le, la, l', les) is used with body parts and clothing items instead of a possessive adjective when the context is clear (la main - the hand, les yeux - the eyes)
In English, possessive adjectives are used in these cases (my hand, his eyes)

Using "de" for Possession

Singular and Plural Nouns

The preposition "de" is used to express possession or belonging, followed by the possessor (a noun or pronoun)
When the possessor is a singular noun, "de" is followed by the definite article (le, la, l') and the noun (le livre de la fille - the girl's book, la voiture de l'homme - the man's car)
When the possessor is a plural noun, "de" is followed by the definite article "les" and the noun (les livres des élèves - the students' books, les jouets des enfants - the children's toys)

Pronouns as Possessors

When the possessor is a pronoun, "de" is followed directly by the stressed pronoun
Examples include: le livre de lui - his book, la maison d'elle - her house, les photos d'eux - their photos

Possessive Adjectives in French

Agreement with the Modified Noun

Possessive adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun they modify
"Mon," "ton," and "son" are used with masculine singular nouns (mon père - my father, ton frère - your brother, son livre - his/her book)
"Ma," "ta," and "sa" are used with feminine singular nouns (ma mère - my mother, ta sœur - your sister, sa maison - his/her house)
"Mes," "tes," and "ses" are used with plural nouns (mes amis - my friends, tes chaussures - your shoes, ses enfants - his/her children)

Possessive Adjectives for "Our," "Your" (plural/formal), and "Their"

"Notre" and "votre" are used with both masculine and feminine singular nouns (notre chat - our cat, votre maison - your house)
"Nos" and "vos" are used with plural nouns (nos livres - our books, vos parents - your parents)
"Leur" is used with both masculine and feminine singular nouns, and "leurs" is used with plural nouns (leur chien - their dog, leurs enfants - their children)
When a feminine singular noun begins with a vowel or a silent "h," "mon," "ton," and "son" are used instead of "ma," "ta," and "sa" for euphonic purposes (mon amie - my friend (f), ton école - your school, son habitude - his/her habit)

Forming Possessive Phrases

Using "de" for Relationships

Possessive phrases can be formed using "de" followed by a noun or pronoun to express relationships
Examples include: le frère de Marie - Marie's brother, la mère de lui - his mother, le cousin de mes parents - my parents' cousin

Possessive Adjectives for Object Ownership

Possessive adjectives can be used to indicate ownership of objects
Examples include: mon livre - my book, ta voiture - your car, ses chaussures - his/her shoes, notre maison - our house, votre ordinateur - your computer, leur téléphone - their phone

Combining "de" and Possessive Adjectives

In some cases, both "de" and a possessive adjective can be used together to express possession
Examples include: un ami de mon père - a friend of my father's, une photo de ta sœur - a photo of your sister's, les jouets de ses enfants - his/her children's toys

Describing Various Relationships

Possessive phrases can be used to describe various relationships, such as family relations, friendships, or professional connections
Examples include: la femme de mon oncle - my uncle's wife, le meilleur ami de ton frère - your brother's best friend, le collègue de ma sœur - my sister's colleague, la fille de leur voisin - their neighbor's daughter