Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| su | /su/ | singular |
| sus | /sus/ | plural |
The word su is an attributive possessive adjective used to indicate that something belongs to him. While su is the standard form, related pronouns like suyo, suya and suyos can be used to mean 'that which belongs to him'.
Which one should you use?
The choice between su and sus depends on the noun being possessed. Use su when the thing belonging to him is singular, and use sus when the things belonging to him are plural.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
A common point of confusion is that the form of the possessive adjective matches the noun being possessed, rather than matching the person who owns it. To clarify that su specifically means 'his' (and not 'her' or 'their'), speakers often add the phrase de él after the noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/su/
What mistakes should you avoid?
To specifically specify 'his', use the phrase de él after the noun.
Did you know?
- In modern youth slang in some Spanish-speaking regions, the word sus has been borrowed from English to mean 'suspicious'.
- When referring to parts of the body, using su can sometimes imply a sense of detachment or medical clinicality, whereas el or la is used for natural possession.
- A speaker might use su to refer to 'your' (formal) when addressing a boss or a stranger. In these cases, the word changes the social dynamic from an informal 'your' to a respectful one.
Examples in context
- Amo a su hijo.I love his son.This sentence shows the use of su with a singular noun.Tatoeba #2351619 by Shishir, translation #1931868 by Spamster
- Él es su amigo.He is his friend.Tatoeba #506053 by Shishir, translation #853142 by piksea
- Esa es su casa.That's his house.Tatoeba #795580 by Shishir, translation #794269 by CK
- Su casa es muy bonitaHis house is very beautiful
- Su hermana es muy amableHis sister is very kind
- El coche de él es muy rápidoHis car is very fast
- Su amigo es muy graciosoHis friend is very funny
- Su perro es grande.His dog is big.
- Sus libros son nuevos.His books are new.
- 7376 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are talking about a colleague's new car.
- Lucía¿Viste el coche nuevo de Juan?Did you see Juan's new car?
- MateoSí, su coche es muy rápido.Yes, his car is very fast.
- LucíaTambién me gusta su color rojo.I also like its red color.
- MateoJuan cuida mucho su vehículo.Juan takes great care of his vehicle.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “his” translations and entries su, sus, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries su, sus, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
