Italian possessive adjectives exercises
A free A1 (beginner) Italian exercise on Aggettivi possessivi (possessive adjectives): 60 multiple choice questions in 4 sets, from core practice to a mixed review, each with the answer and a short explanation. Or take a random round of 10. No account needed.
The rule in brief
Italian possessives normally take the definite article: il mio libro, la mia casa. The possessive agrees in gender and number with the thing owned, not with the owner. So Giulia talks about il suo portafoglio (masculine, because portafoglio is masculine), and Luca talks about la sua macchina.
With family members there is a special rule. A singular family noun with no adjective drops the article: mia madre, tuo fratello, suo zio. In the plural the article comes back: le mie sorelle, i miei nonni. Words that are not strictly family, such as ragazza (girlfriend) or amico, always keep it: la sua ragazza.
Loro ("their") never changes its ending and always keeps the article, even with a singular family noun: il loro figlio, la loro macchina, i loro amici.
| Owner | Masc. sing. | Fem. sing. | Masc. plur. | Fem. plur. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| io | il mio | la mia | i miei | le mie |
| tu | il tuo | la tua | i tuoi | le tue |
| lui / lei | il suo | la sua | i suoi | le sue |
| noi | il nostro | la nostra | i nostri | le nostre |
| voi | il vostro | la vostra | i vostri | le vostre |
| loro | il loro | la loro | i loro | le loro |
- Mio padre e i miei fratelli abitano a Bari. · My father and my brothers live in Bari.
- Anna cerca il suo telefono. · Anna is looking for her phone.
Exercises · 60 questions in 4 sets
Choose the correct possessive (with or without the article) for each sentence.
Set 1 · Core practice
- 1
telefono non funziona.
My phone isn’t working.
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Il mio · Telefono is masculine singular, so it takes il mio.
- 2
Hai visto occhiali?
Have you seen my glasses?
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i miei · Occhiali is masculine plural, so it takes i miei.
- 3
Ti piace borsa nuova?
Do you like my new bag?
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la mia · Borsa is feminine singular, so it takes la mia.
- 4
madre fa l’insegnante.
My mother is a teacher.
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Mia · Madre is a singular family noun with no adjective, so the article is dropped: mia madre.
- 5
Domenica pranzo con sorelle.
On Sunday I’m having lunch with my sisters.
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le mie · Family nouns keep the article in the plural: le mie sorelle.
- 6
fratello abita ancora a Londra?
Does your brother still live in London?
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Tuo · Fratello is a singular family noun, so it drops the article: tuo fratello.
- 7
Marco e Anna vendono macchina.
Marco and Anna are selling their car.
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la loro · The car belongs to two people, so you need loro, and loro always takes the article: la loro macchina.
- 8
Paolo e Sara sono in vacanza con figlio.
Paolo and Sara are on holiday with their son.
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il loro · Loro keeps the article even with a singular family noun: il loro figlio.
- 9
Giulia cerca portafoglio.
Giulia is looking for her wallet.
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il suo · The possessive agrees with portafoglio (masculine), not with Giulia, so it is il suo.
- 10
Stasera Luca esce con ragazza.
Tonight Luca is going out with his girlfriend.
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la sua · Ragazza is feminine, so it takes sua; it is not a family noun, so the article stays: la sua ragazza.
- 11
appartamento è al terzo piano.
Our flat is on the third floor.
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Il nostro · Appartamento is masculine singular and not a family noun, so it takes il nostro.
- 12
Ragazzi, dove sono zaini?
Guys, where are your backpacks?
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i vostri · Ragazzi means the owners are voi, and zaini is masculine plural, so it is i vostri.
- 13
nonni abitano in campagna.
My grandparents live in the countryside.
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I miei · Nonni is a plural family noun, so the article stays: i miei nonni.
- 14
Ti presento marito, Stefano.
Let me introduce my husband, Stefano.
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mio · Marito is a singular family noun with no adjective, so there is no article: mio marito.
- 15
amiche sono molto simpatiche.
Your (female) friends are very nice.
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Le tue · Amiche is feminine plural and not a family noun, so it takes le tue.
15 questions.
Set 2 · More practice
- 16
Dove sono forbici?
Where are my scissors?
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le mie · Forbici is feminine plural, so it takes le mie.
- 17
casa è vicino alla stazione.
Our house is near the station.
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La nostra · Casa is feminine singular, so it takes la nostra.
- 18
Come si chiama cane?
What’s your dog called?
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il tuo · Cane is masculine singular, so it takes il tuo.
- 19
padre lavora in banca.
My father works in a bank.
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Mio · Padre is a singular family noun with no adjective, so the article is dropped: mio padre.
- 20
Sara porta sempre libri a scuola.
Sara always takes her books to school.
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i suoi · The possessive agrees with libri (masculine plural), not with Sara, so it is i suoi.
- 21
Ragazze, camera è in ordine?
Girls, is your room tidy?
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la vostra · Ragazze means the owners are voi, and camera is feminine singular, so it is la vostra.
- 22
Non trovo ombrello.
I can’t find my umbrella.
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il mio · Ombrello is masculine singular, so it takes il mio.
- 23
cugina abita a Firenze.
Your (female) cousin lives in Florence.
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Tua · Cugina is a singular family noun with no adjective, so it drops the article: tua cugina.
- 24
Luca e Sara invitano amici a cena.
Luca and Sara are inviting their friends to dinner.
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i loro · The friends belong to two people, so you need loro, with the article for amici (masculine plural): i loro.
- 25
Domani arrivano cugini dalla Sicilia.
Tomorrow our cousins arrive from Sicily.
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i nostri · Cugini is a plural family noun, so the article stays: i nostri cugini.
- 26
Marco, scarpe sono sotto il letto.
Marco, your shoes are under the bed.
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le tue · Scarpe is feminine plural, so it takes le tue, even though Marco is a man.
- 27
Chiara telefona a fratello ogni sera.
Chiara phones her brother every evening.
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suo · The possessive agrees with fratello (masculine), not Chiara, and a singular family noun drops the article: suo fratello.
- 28
Signori, ecco tavolo.
Here is your table, ladies and gentlemen.
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il vostro · Signori addresses several people (voi), and tavolo is masculine singular, so it is il vostro.
- 29
Noi passiamo l’estate con nonna.
We spend the summer with our grandmother.
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nostra · Nonna is a singular family noun with no adjective, so the article is dropped: nostra nonna.
- 30
Anna, com’è città?
Anna, what’s your town like?
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la tua · Città is feminine singular and not a family noun, so it takes la tua.
15 questions.
Set 3 · Trickier cases
- 31
Paola e marito abitano a Genova.
Paola and her husband live in Genoa.
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suo · The possessive agrees with marito (masculine), not with Paola, and a singular family noun has no article: suo marito.
- 32
Il signor Conti parla sempre di figlia.
Mr Conti always talks about his daughter.
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sua · Figlia is feminine, so it is sua even though the owner is a man; as a singular family noun it has no article.
- 33
Domani arriva amico Paolo da Torino.
Tomorrow my friend Paolo arrives from Turin.
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il mio · Amico is not a family noun, so it keeps the article: il mio amico.
- 34
I signori Bianchi sono al mare con figlie.
Mr and Mrs Bianchi are at the seaside with their daughters.
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le loro · There are two owners, so you need loro; figlie is feminine plural and loro always takes the article: le loro.
- 35
Mi piace molto programma per il weekend, ragazzi.
I really like your plan for the weekend, guys.
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il vostro · Programma ends in -a but is masculine (il programma), so it takes il vostro.
- 36
Questa è foto preferita.
This is my favourite photo.
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la mia · Foto ends in -o but is feminine (la foto), so it takes la mia.
- 37
Ho freddo: mani sono gelate.
I’m cold: my hands are freezing.
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le mie · Mano is feminine and its plural is le mani, so it takes le mie.
- 38
Scrivi qui cognome, per favore.
Write your surname here, please.
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il tuo · Cognome is masculine (il cognome) and not a family member, so it keeps the article: il tuo.
- 39
genitori sono in pensione?
Are your parents retired?
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I tuoi · Genitori is a plural family noun, so the article stays: i tuoi genitori.
- 40
Buongiorno, signora, passaporto, per favore.
Good morning, madam, your passport, please.
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il suo · Formal Lei uses the same possessive as lei: suo. Passaporto is masculine singular, so il suo.
- 41
Gli studenti aprono libri.
The students open their books.
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i loro · The owners are several students, so you need loro, not suoi; loro always takes the article: i loro libri.
- 42
Lucia porta figli al parco.
Lucia takes her children to the park.
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i suoi · There is one owner, Lucia, so it is suo, not loro; figli is a plural family noun, so the article stays: i suoi.
- 43
Luca cerca chiavi della macchina.
Luca is looking for his car keys.
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le sue · The possessive agrees with chiavi (feminine plural), not with Luca, so it is le sue.
- 44
Ragazzi, insegnante di inglese è malata oggi.
Guys, your English teacher is ill today.
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la vostra · Malata shows the teacher is a woman, and insegnante is not a family noun, so it keeps the article: la vostra.
- 45
I miei nonni festeggiano anniversario di matrimonio.
My grandparents are celebrating their wedding anniversary.
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il loro · The anniversary belongs to two people, so you need loro; anniversario is masculine and loro always takes the article: il loro.
15 questions.
Set 4 · Mixed review
- 46
Io e Paolo abitiamo in centro con figlio.
Paolo and I live in the centre with our son.
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nostro · Io e Paolo means noi, and figlio is a singular family noun with no adjective, so there is no article: nostro figlio.
- 47
Scusa, posso usare penna? La mia non scrive.
Sorry, can I use your pen? Mine doesn’t work.
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la tua · Scusa shows you are speaking to tu, and penna is feminine singular, so it is la tua.
- 48
Francesca è contenta perché fratello arriva domani da Parigi.
Francesca is happy because her brother arrives from Paris tomorrow.
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suo · Fratello is masculine and a singular family noun, so it is suo with no article, whatever the owner’s gender.
- 49
I miei vicini sono simpatici, ma cane abbaia tutta la notte.
My neighbours are nice, but their dog barks all night.
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il loro · The dog belongs to the neighbours (loro), and cane is masculine singular, so it is il loro.
- 50
Ciao Giorgio, come sta nonna?
Hi Giorgio, how’s your grandmother?
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tua · Nonna is a singular family noun with no adjective, so the article is dropped: tua nonna.
- 51
Professoressa, dove mettiamo cappotti?
Miss, where shall we put our coats?
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i nostri · Mettiamo shows the owners are noi, and cappotti is masculine plural, so it is i nostri.
- 52
Al ristorante Elena ordina sempre piatto preferito: le lasagne.
At the restaurant Elena always orders her favourite dish: lasagne.
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il suo · The possessive agrees with piatto (masculine singular), not with Elena, and piatto keeps the article: il suo.
- 53
Ragazzi, a che ora cominciano lezioni di nuoto?
Guys, what time do your swimming lessons start?
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le vostre · Ragazzi means the owners are voi, and lezioni is feminine plural, so it is le vostre.
- 54
Ti presento Carlo e Marta, vicini di casa.
Let me introduce Carlo and Marta, my neighbours.
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i miei · A man and a woman together take the masculine plural, vicini, and it is not a family noun, so: i miei.
- 55
Anna e Sofia organizzano una festa per mamma.
Anna and Sofia are organising a party for their mum.
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la loro · There are two owners, so you need loro, and loro always keeps the article, even with a family noun: la loro mamma.
- 56
Mamma, dov’è maglietta blu?
Mum, where’s my blue T-shirt?
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la mia · Maglietta is feminine singular and not a family noun, so it takes la mia.
- 57
Mio zio fa il medico e studio è in via Roma.
My uncle is a doctor and his surgery is in Via Roma.
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il suo · Studio is masculine singular and not a family noun, so it keeps the article: il suo.
- 58
Quest’anno passiamo il Natale con zii di Bari.
This year we’re spending Christmas with our aunt and uncle from Bari.
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i nostri · Passiamo shows the owners are noi, and zii is a plural family noun, so the article stays: i nostri.
- 59
Signor Neri, c’è moglie al telefono.
Mr Neri, your wife is on the phone.
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sua · Signor Neri is addressed formally (Lei), which uses suo; moglie is a singular family noun, so: sua moglie.
- 60
Chiara, biglietti per il concerto sono sul tavolo della cucina.
Chiara, your tickets for the concert are on the kitchen table.
Show answer
i tuoi · Biglietti is masculine plural, so it takes i tuoi, even though Chiara is a woman.
15 questions.
Random 10
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