Possessives and the Article

In brief

Italian usually puts a definite article before a possessive when a noun follows: il mio libro means ‘my book.’ The possessive agrees with the thing owned, not the owner: il mio libro, la mia casa.

Form

article + possessive + noun: il mio libro, la mia casa, i miei libri, le mie case; with singular family members, usually possessive + noun: mia madre.

Usage

• Use mio, tuo, suo, nostro, vostro or loro to say whose something is; choose the article and possessive form to match the noun.
• Normally omit the article with one singular family member: mio padre, tua sorella. Keep it with loro: il loro padre.
• Use the article with plural family members too: i miei genitori. Loro does not change form.

Examples

• Il mio libro è qui. — My book is here.
• La tua casa è bella. — Your house is beautiful.
• Mia sorella abita a Roma. — My sister lives in Rome.
• I loro amici sono qui. — Their friends are here.

Common mistake

❌ Mio libro è qui.

✅ Il mio libro è qui.

Unlike English ‘my book,’ Italian normally needs a definite article before a possessive followed by a noun.

Remember

Match the possessive to the noun; for a single family member, usually leave out the article.