mon
/mɔ̃/masculine
In French, the English phrase "my" is expressed as mon, ma or mes.
Meaning: belonging to me (det)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| mon | /mɔ̃/ /mɔ̃.n‿/ |
masculine |
| ma | /ma/ | feminine |
| mes | /mɛ/ /mɛ.z‿/ |
plural |
The word "my" is used as a possessive determiner to indicate that something belongs to the speaker.
Which one should you use?
The form you choose depends on the gender and number of the noun that follows it. Use mon for masculine singular nouns, ma for feminine singular nouns and mes for all plural nouns, whether they are masculine or feminine.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form mon is used before masculine singular nouns. The form ma is used before feminine singular nouns. The form mes is used before both masculine and feminine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/mɔ̃/
What mistakes should you avoid?
When using the feminine singular form, do not use ma if the following noun begins with a vowel or a silent 'h'. Use mon instead.
Did you know?
- The masculine form mon might have been influenced by a Gaulish word, meaning the linguistic roots of 'my' in French could be even older than the Latin foundation.
- In French, you can use 'my' to address people you love, such as mon chéri (my darling) or ma puce (my flea), regardless of whether you are actually claiming ownership of them.
- Certain fixed expressions use mon in ways that don't translate to ownership, such as mon Dieu, used as an exclamation of surprise or frustration.
Examples in context
- Il a mon âge.He's my age.This sentence shows the use of mon with a noun expressing age.Tatoeba #899099 by sacredceltic, translation #674278 by yessoos
- Mon cher ami !My dear friend!This illustrates an affectionate use of mon.Tatoeba #1281367 by sacredceltic, translation #3631514 by thegui
- C'est ma vie !It's my life!This shows the use of ma with a feminine singular noun.Tatoeba #3424666 by mrr, translation #3424663 by _undertoad
- Mon pèreMy father
- Mon amiMy friend
- Mon livreMy book
- Ma mèreMy mother
- Ma sœurMy sister
- Ma maisonMy house
- Mes parentsMy parents
- Mes amisMy friends
- Mes livresMy books
- mon amieMy (female) friend
- 18031 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Manon are looking for a lost item in the living room.
- GabrielEst-ce que tu vois mon livre ?Do you see my book?
- ManonNon, Gabriel, je ne vois pas ton livre.No, Gabriel, I don't see your book.
- GabrielC'est mon seul exemplaire.It is my only copy.
- ManonCherche sous mon fauteuil.Look under my armchair.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “my” translations and entries mon, ma, mes, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ma, mes, mon, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
