Possessive Words (Mi, Tu, Su) for Little Learners: 20 Simple Sentences

When your preschooler starts saying “Mi juguete” (“my toy”) or “Tu libro” (“your book”) in Spanish, they’re taking a huge leap toward real communication. Possessive words like mi, tu, and su might seem tiny, but they help your child talk about the things and people they care about—just like they do in English. It’s one of those beautiful milestones when Spanish stops feeling like a list of words and starts sounding like their language.

In this post, you’ll learn how to use Spanish possessive words naturally with your child. We’ll cover simple rules, easy examples, common mistakes, and a mini practice section you can do together. By the end, you’ll both know how to say “my family,” “your backpack,” or “her toy” with confidence—and how these little words open big doors to fluency.

What Are Possessive Words in Spanish?

Possessive words show ownership or belonging—they tell us who something belongs to. In English, you say “my,” “your,” “his,” “her,” or “our.” In Spanish, the same idea uses mi, tu, su, nuestro, and vuestro (and their plural forms).

They come before a noun, just like in English:

• Mi casa – My house
• Tu perro – Your dog
• Su mamá – His/Her mom

Spanish also has longer forms that come after the noun, like mío or tuyo, but for preschoolers and beginners, we’ll focus on the short, simple ones—because these appear in daily conversation.

The Main Possessive Words (Short Forms)

Person	Singular (before noun)	Plural (before noun)	English Meaning
1st person (yo)	mi	mis	my / my (plural)
2nd person (tú)	tu	tus	your / your (plural)
3rd person (él/ella/usted)	su	sus	his / her / your (formal) / their
1st person plural (nosotros)	nuestro / nuestra	nuestros / nuestras	our
2nd person plural (vosotros)**	vuestro / vuestra	vuestros / vuestras	your (plural, Spain)

🟡 Tip: Notice how mi, tu, and su don’t change for gender, but nuestro and vuestro do!

How to Use Them

1. Choose the right word for the “owner.”
If you own something → mi
If your friend owns it → tu
If another person owns it → su
If you both own it → nuestro/nuestra

2. Make it agree in number (singular or plural) with the object.

• One toy → Mi juguete
• Many toys → Mis juguetes

3. With “our” and “your (plural),” match gender and number with the noun.

• Masculine singular: Nuestro perro
• Feminine singular: Nuestra casa
• Masculine plural: Nuestros libros
• Feminine plural: Nuestras amigas

🟢 Quick reminder: The possessive changes based on the object, not the person.
For example:
“Mi mamá”
“Mis mamás”

20 Easy Sentences to Use at Home

Let’s make this real! Use these short, natural phrases during daily routines.

1. Tu sonrisa me gusta mucho. — I like your smile a lot.
2. Mi juguete está en la mesa. — My toy is on the table.
3. Tu zapato es azul. — Your shoe is blue.
4. Su mochila está en la silla. — His/Her backpack is on the chair.
5. Mi mamá cocina la cena. — My mom cooks dinner.
6. Tu papá lee un libro. — Your dad reads a book.
7. Mis amigos están aquí. — My friends are here.
8. Tus lápices son de colores. — Your pencils are colorful.
9. Sus abuelos viven en México. — Their grandparents live in Mexico.
10. Nuestra casa es pequeña pero bonita. — Our house is small but pretty.
11. Nuestras mochilas son rojas. — Our backpacks are red.
12. Mi perro duerme mucho. — My dog sleeps a lot.
13. Tu gato bebe leche. — Your cat drinks milk.
14. Su flor huele bien. — Her flower smells nice.
15. Mis zapatos son nuevos. — My shoes are new.
16. Tus juguetes están debajo de la cama. — Your toys are under the bed.
17. Sus niños cantan una canción. — Their kids sing a song.
18. Nuestro maestro es muy amable. — Our teacher is very kind.
19. Nuestra escuela está cerca. — Our school is nearby.
20. Mi corazón es feliz. — My heart is happy.

Common Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

1. Mixing up “mi” and “mí.”

• Mi (no accent) = my
• Mí (with accent) = me (after a preposition, e.g., para mí)
  ✅ Mi mamá es doctora.
  ✅ Esto es para mí.
  💡 Trick: If it means “my,” it never has an accent.

2. Forgetting to make it plural.
   ❌ Mi zapatos → ✅ Mis zapatos
   💡 If there’s more than one thing, the article and possessive both become plural.
3. Using “su” without context.
   “Su” can mean his, her, your, or their.
   To make it clear, add de + name:

• Su libro → could mean his, her, or their book.
• ✅ El libro de Ana

4. Forgetting gender agreement with “nuestro.”
   ❌ Nuestro casa → ✅ Nuestra casa
   💡 Rule of thumb: look at the object, not the owner.

Exceptions and Special Notes

1. Clarifying “Su”
   When it’s unclear who su refers to, Spanish speakers often replace it with de él, de ella, or de ellos.

• El coche de él
• El perro de ella

2. Formal “Su” vs. Informal “Tu”
   Spanish uses tu for friends, family, or kids (informal), and su for respect or adults (formal).

• Tu profesor
• Su profesor

In Latin America, su often replaces vuestro (the “your plural” form used in Spain).

Mini Practice Section

Fill in the blanks with mi, mis, tu, tus, su, sus, nuestro, nuestra, nuestros, or nuestras.

1. ___ mamá está en la cocina.
2. ___ amigos juegan en el parque.
3. ___ casa es muy grande.
4. ___ mochila está debajo de la silla.
5. ___ zapatos son nuevos.

Answer Key:

1. Mi mamá está en la cocina.
2. Tus amigos juegan en el parque.
3. Nuestra casa es muy grande.
4. Tu mochila está debajo de la silla.
5. Sus zapatos son nuevos.

🧩 Bonus challenge: Say each sentence aloud and replace the noun with something your child owns!
For example:
Mi mamá está en la cocina → Mi perro está en el jardín.

Quick Summary (Cheat Sheet)

English	Spanish	Plural Form	Example
My	Mi	Mis	Mi libro / Mis libros
Your (informal)	Tu	Tus	Tu amigo / Tus amigos
His / Her / Their / Your (formal)	Su	Sus	Su casa / Sus casas
Our	Nuestro / Nuestra	Nuestros / Nuestras	Nuestra maestra / Nuestros libros
Your (Spain plural)	Vuestro / Vuestra	Vuestros / Vuestras	Vuestro perro / Vuestras amigas

🟠 Helpful tip: The possessive word changes depending on how many things you’re talking about—not how many people own them.

Small Words, Big Confidence

Learning to use mi, tu, and su helps preschoolers express what matters most—their family, their toys, their world. These possessive words bring Spanish to life because they make communication personal and emotional.

At Homeschool Spanish Academy, we make learning moments like these joyful and easy. With live native Spanish-speaking teachers, your child can practice real conversations in a warm, playful environment. We offer flexible scheduling, plus 1-on-1 or 2-on-1 sessions, perfect for siblings or friends learning together.

Help your little learner take ownership of their Spanish—Book your free trial class today and watch them proudly say “¡Mis palabras son en español!”

Join one of the 40,000 classes that we teach each month and you can experience results like these

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• How Do We Use Articles in Spanish? A Preschool-Friendly Guide
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• Possessive Words (Mi, Tu, Su) for Little Learners: 20 Simple Sentences