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. The word su is ambiguous in Spanish and can mean 'his', 'her', 'its', 'their' or 'your' (formal), depending on the context.
Which one should you use?
The forms su and sus differ based on the quantity of the things being possessed rather than the number of owners. Use su when the possessed object is singular and sus when the possessed objects are plural. Additionally, while su is used as an adjective before a noun, the related forms suyo, suya and suyos act as possessive pronouns to mean 'his' when the noun is not explicitly stated or follows the pronoun.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the possessive adjective changes to sus if the noun being possessed is plural, regardless of whether the owner is singular or plural. To remove the ambiguity of su and specify that the possession belongs specifically to 'him', you can use the phrase de él after the noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/su/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use su to agree with the owner (him) rather than the object possessed. However, su must agree in number with the object possessed.
Did you know?
- While su is the standard word for 'his', the word sus can also be a modern slang term borrowed from English 'sus' to mean suspicious.
- Because su is so ambiguous, Spanish speakers often avoid it entirely in conversation by using de él to ensure the listener knows they are talking about 'his' and not 'her' or 'their'.
Examples in context
- Amo a su hijo.I love his son.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of su with a singular noun.Tatoeba #2351619 by Shishir, translation #1931868 by Spamster
- Él es su amigo.He is his friend.This sentence shows how to use su to describe a relationship.Tatoeba #506053 by Shishir, translation #853142 by piksea
- Esa es su casa.That's his house.This sentence demonstrates using su before a singular noun to show ownership.Tatoeba #795580 by Shishir, translation #794269 by CK
- Él ha perdido su libro.He has lost his book.
- Él lava su coche.He washes his car.
- Vosotros jugáis en su equipo.You all play on their team.
- El abrigo de él es azul.His coat is blue.
- 7376 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and María are talking about a colleague's office.
- Daniel¿Dónde está su oficina?Where is his office?
- MaríaEstá al final del pasillo.It is at the end of the hallway.
- DanielSu oficina es muy moderna.His office is very modern.
- MaríaSí, es muy bonita.Yes, it is very pretty.
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.
