Showing Possession Using ‘de’ in Spanish
This section explains Showing Possession Using ‘de’ in Spanish. In Spanish, possession is often expressed using the preposition "de" because Spanish does not use an apostrophe (’s) like English does.
For example:
- English:Maria’s book
- Spanish:El libro de María (NOT María’s libro ❌)
Foundation Tier: Basic Possession with ‘de’
Posesión básica con ‘de’
| English | Spanish | Example Sentence (English) | Example Sentence (Spanish) |
|---|---|---|---|
| The boy’s dog | El perro del niño | The boy’s dog is big. | El perro del niño es grande. |
| The teacher’s pen | El bolígrafo del profesor | The teacher’s pen is on the desk. | El bolígrafo del profesor está en el escritorio. |
| My friend’s house | La casa de mi amigo | My friend’s house is near the park. | La casa de mi amigo está cerca del parque. |
| The woman’s car | El coche de la mujer | The woman’s car is red. | El coche de la mujer es rojo. |
| The students’ books | Los libros de los estudiantes | The students’ books are on the table. | Los libros de los estudiantes están en la mesa. |
Key Rule for ‘de + el’ → ‘del’
When ‘de’ is followed by ‘el’, they contract to ‘del’:
- El coche del profesor (NOT el coche de el profesor ❌)
- La casa del hombre (NOT la casa de el hombre ❌)
Higher Tier: Complex Possession with ‘de’
Posesión avanzada con ‘de’
| English | Spanish | Example Sentence (English) | Example Sentence (Spanish) |
|---|---|---|---|
| My brother’s best friend | El mejor amigo de mi hermano | My brother’s best friend is called Pedro. | El mejor amigo de mi hermano se llama Pedro. |
| The owner of the restaurant | El dueño del restaurante | The owner of the restaurant is very kind. | El dueño del restaurante es muy amable. |
| The door of the house | La puerta de la casa | The door of the house is blue. | La puerta de la casa es azul. |
| The colour of the car | El color del coche | The colour of the car is black. | El color del coche es negro. |
| The capital of Spain | La capital de España | The capital of Spain is Madrid. | La capital de España es Madrid. |
Alternative Way to Show Possession: Possessive Adjectives
Although ‘de’ is commonly used for possession, possessive adjectives can also be used.
| English | Possessive Adjective | Example Sentence (English) | Example Sentence (Spanish) |
|---|---|---|---|
| My | Mi / Mis | My book is on the table. | Mi libro está en la mesa. |
| Your | Tu / Tus | Your dog is very friendly. | Tu perro es muy amable. |
| His / Her | Su / Sus | His house is very big. | Su casa es muy grande. |
| Our | Nuestro/a/os/as | Our school is modern. | Nuestra escuela es moderna. |
Key Tips for Using ‘de’ for Possession
✔ Use ‘de’ instead of the apostrophe (‘s) in Spanish
- La mochila de Ana (Ana’s backpack)
✔ Remember ‘de + el’ contracts to ‘del’ - El padre del niño (NOT de el niño ❌)
✔ For plural owners, ‘de los’ or ‘de las’ is used - Los amigos de los estudiantes (The students’ friends)
These revision notes will help you with revising possession using ‘de’ in Spanish for both foundation and higher tiers.
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