Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| seu | /sew/ (Brazil) /sew/ (Portugal) |
Brazil, masculine |
| teu | /tew/ (Brazil) /tew/ (Portugal) |
masculine |
| tua | /ˈtu.ɐ/ (Brazil) /ˈtu.ɐ/ (Portugal) |
feminine |
| sua | /ˈsu.ɐ/ (Brazil) /ˈsu.ɐ/ (Portugal) |
feminine |
This phrase is used to indicate that something belongs to the person you are addressing (singular). Note that seu and sua can also mean "his", "her" or "its", so you must rely on the context of the conversation to determine if the speaker is talking to you or about someone else.
Which one should you use?
The forms teu and tua are used for an informal, intimate or familiar "you" (tu). In contrast, seu and sua are used for a more formal or standard "you" (você) in many contexts.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, seu and sua are the most common and standard possessive adjectives used with the pronoun você. In Portugal, vosso and vossa are used more frequently, particularly in formal contexts or when addressing multiple people politely.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form must agree in gender with the object being possessed, rather than the gender of the person who owns it.
How do you pronounce it?
/sew/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly try to match the possessive to the gender of the owner. Instead, ensure the form matches the gender of the noun that follows it.
Did you know?
- In Brazil, seu can be used as a title of respect for men, similar to 'Mr.'. For example, seu José is a polite way to address a man named José.
Examples in context
- É a sua vez.It's your move.This sentence shows how to use sua to indicate a turn in a game or activity.Tatoeba #380487 by brauliobezerra, translation #16925 by CK
- E o teu pai?How about your father?This sentence demonstrates the use of teu when asking about someone's father.Tatoeba #1201210 by alexmarcelo, translation #898471 by U2FS
- É o seu lar.It's your home.This sentence illustrates the use of seu to describe a home.Tatoeba #4929399 by ajdavidl, translation #2649131 by CK
- Eu gostaria de ler seu livroI would like to read your book
- Esse hotel é vosso?Is this hotel yours?
- Gostei da sua camisetaI liked your t-shirt
- Posso pegar emprestado teu carro?Can I borrow your car?
- teu amigoYour friend, masculine singular
- tuas amigasYour friends, feminine plural
- 8068 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Juliana are at a café.
- GabrielO seu café está frio?Is your coffee cold?
- JulianaSim, está um pouco frio.Yes, it is a little cold.
- GabrielEu posso pedir um novo para você.I can order a new one for you.
- JulianaNão precisa, obrigada, Gabriel.No need, thanks, Gabriel.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “your” translations and entries seu, teu, tua, sua, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries seu, sua, teu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
