posee
/posee/from spelling rules
In Spanish, the phrase "owns" can be translated as posee.
The verb is used to express having the legal right or possession of something.
Which one should you use?
While posee means "owns," it carries a more formal and legalistic connotation of "possession" compared to the common verb tener (to have). In many contexts, the word Tiene can also be used to mean "owns."
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Posee is a formal way to express ownership. It is often found in legal, journalistic or literary contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The infinitive form of this verb is poseer.
How do you pronounce it?
/posee/
Did you know?
- If you are talking about owning a person in a historical or metaphorical sense, using poseer can imply a much more intense, almost spiritual or demonic possession than the English 'to own'.
- In some Latin American legal systems, a person can gain legal ownership of land simply by poseer it for a set number of years, even if they do not hold the title.
- When used to describe a person's qualities, such as posee gran talento, the verb suggests the person is 'endowed' with a gift rather than just having a skill.
Examples in context
- Él posee esta tierra.He owns this land.This sentence is useful for showing ownership of land with posee.Tatoeba #1426333 by marcelostockle, translation #1304540 by CK
- Posee un jet privado.He owns a private jet.This sentence shows how to describe owning a private jet with posee.Tatoeba #10463194 by Seael, translation #2718430 by Hybrid
- Él posee muchas tierras.He owns a lot of land.This sentence demonstrates the use of posee with multiple pieces of land.Tatoeba #1190955 by marcelostockle, translation #611744 by CK
- La empresa posee una flota de vehículos.The company owns a fleet of vehicles.
- Mi tío es dueño de un restaurante muy exitoso.My uncle owns a very successful restaurant.
- El magnate tiene una gran mansión en la playa.The magnate owns a large mansion on the beach.
- Juan tiene dos perros y un gato.Juan owns two dogs and a cat.
- Aquella casa es suya.That house is theirs/his/hers.
- El nuevo apartamento pertenece a mi hermano.The new apartment belongs to my brother.
- El señor Ramírez es propietario de una extensa finca.Mr. Ramírez owns an extensive farm.
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Daniel are discussing a wealthy acquaintance.
- ElenaDaniel, ¿sabes quién posee ese edificio?Daniel, do you know who owns that building?
- DanielSí, mi jefe posee varias propiedades aquí.Yes, my boss owns several properties here.
- ElenaNo sabía que él poseyera tanto.I didn't know he owned so much.
- DanielAsí es, posee una fortuna increíble.That's right, he owns an incredible fortune.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
