¿es tuyo?
In Spanish, "is it yours?" is translated as ¿es tuyo?
This phrase is used to ask if a specific object belongs to the person you are speaking to.
Which one should you use?
The form you choose depends on both the level of formality and the gender of the object. Use ¿es tuyo? for informal situations and ¿es suyo? or ¿es de usted? for formal situations.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, ¿Es suyo? is widely used. In Latin American countries, ¿Es de usted? is a common formal way to ask the question.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the possessive pronoun must match the gender of the object being possessed. For example, if the object is feminine, you would use ¿es tuya? instead of ¿es tuyo?
Did you know?
- While ¿es tuyo? is used for possession, Spanish speakers often avoid using possessive pronouns entirely when talking about body parts, preferring to say 'the hand' instead of 'your hand'.
- The word tuyo is a linguistic oddity because it was shaped by analogy with the word cuyo, meaning 'whose'. While most possessive pronouns evolved directly from Latin, tuyo was modified to fit the pattern of other Spanish possessives.
- In some contexts, asking ¿es tuyo? can be a subtle way to ask if someone is the author of a piece of art or a specific idea, rather than just the physical owner.
Examples in context
- Disculpe, ¿es suyo?Excuse me, is it yours?
- Perdone, ¿es de usted?Pardon me, is it yours?
- Oye, ¿es tuyo?Hey, is it yours?
- Perdone, ¿es suyo? Me parece haberlo visto anteriormente.Excuse me, is it yours? I think I've seen it before.
- ¿Es tuya? Creo que la olvidaste en el restaurante.Is it yours? I think you left it at the restaurant.
- ¿Es tuyo este libro?Is this book yours?
- Vi un paraguas en el suelo, ¿es tuyo?I saw an umbrella on the floor, is it yours?
- No encuentro mi lápiz, ¿es tuyo?I can't find my pencil, is it yours?
Example conversation
Alejandro finds a pen on the table next to Sofía.
- AlejandroSofía, encontré un bolígrafo, ¿es tuyo?Sofía, I found a pen, is it yours?
- SofíaSí, es mío. Muchas gracias.Yes, it is mine. Thank you very much.
- AlejandroDe nada, aquí lo tienes.You're welcome, here it is.
- SofíaQué amable eres, Alejandro.How kind you are, Alejandro.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries es, tuyo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
