CA - Using "de" to Show Possession (Lesson)

Using "de" to Show Possession 

Showing possession - who owns something - is very different in Spanish and English. You can't use "'s" in Spanish! Ever! In order to show possession, use de ("of"). This means the literal translation of "Julia's book" is something more like "the book of Julia." Either way, the message is the same - the book belongs to Julia. If you use de before a noun rather than a proper name or subject pronoun, you must use the definite article (el, la, los, las) to say "of the." When de comes before el, they combine to form del. Make sure you know the following definitions:

of = de

of the = del, de la, de los, de las

Examples:

• El cuaderno de Luisa [Luisa's notebook]
• El coche del professor [the teacher's car]
• El libro de Paco[Paco's book]
• El helado de lasmuchachas [the girls' ice cream]
• La fiesta de la Señora Ortega [Señora Ortega's party]
• Las coches de los muchachos [the boys' cars]

 

 

 

RESOURCES IN THIS MODULE ARE OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES (OER) OR CREATED BY GAVS UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. SOME IMAGES USED UNDER SUBSCRIPTION.

THE INFORMATION ABOVE ON USING DE IS QUOTED WITH PERMISSION FROM SOFTSCHOOLS.COM/SPANISH https://www.softschools.com/spanish/showing_possession_with_de_in_spanish/ Links to an external site.