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Reflexive and Reciprocal Verbs, Possessives, and the Present Progressive

Possessive Adjectives by Ronald Glenn Wrigley, M.A.

Possessive adjectives express ownership or relationship with family members. As adjectives, they must agree in number and gender with the noun that they modify. Note the use of the definite article in the formation of the possessive adjective in Italian.

<tgroup cols="6"> <colspec colname="col1" colnum="1" colwidth="20%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="center"/> <colspec colname="col2" colnum="2" colwidth="16%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="center"/> <colspec colname="col1" colnum="3" colwidth="16%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="center"/> <colspec colname="col2" colnum="4" colwidth="16%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="center"/> <colspec colname="col1" colnum="5" colwidth="16%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="center"/> <colspec colname="col2" colnum="6" colwidth="16%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="center"/> <thead> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>Subject</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Possessor</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Masculine Singular</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Feminine Singular</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Masculine Plural</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Feminine Plural</emphasis></p></td> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>io</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>my</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>il mio</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>la mia</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>i miei</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le mie</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>tu</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>your (informal, singular)</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>il tuo</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>la tua</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>i tuoi</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le tue</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>lui</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>his</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>il suo</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>la sua</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>i suoi</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le sue</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>lei</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>her</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>il suo</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>la sua</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>i suoi</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le sue</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>Lei</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>your (formal, singular)</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>il Suo</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>la Sua</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>i Suoi</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le Sue</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>noi</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>our</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>il nostro</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>la nostra</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>i nostri</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le nostre</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>voi</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>your (informal, plural)</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>il vostro</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>la vostra</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>i vostri</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le vostre</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>loro</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>their</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>il loro</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>la loro</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>i loro</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le loro</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>Loro</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>your (formal, plural)</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>il Loro</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>la Loro</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>i Loro</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le Loro</emphasis></p></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <h2>Exercise 10: Using Possessive Adjectives</h2> <p>Translate the expressions into Italian. Don't forget the definite article!</p> <ul> <li><p>my book </p></li> <li><p>our car </p></li> <li><p>your (plural, formal) friends </p></li> <li><p>your (plural, informal) anniversary </p></li> <li><p>his house </p></li> <li><p>her computer </p></li> <li><p>their family </p></li> <li><p>your (singular, informal) friend </p></li> <li><p>your (singular, formal) dog </p></li> <li><p>his girlfriend </p></li> </ul> <p>When used to express relationship to a family member, the definite article is omitted, except with the <emphasis>loro</emphasis> possessive form.</p> <p><emphasis>Mio fratello non viene alla festa.</emphasis> <emphasis role="Bolditalic">My brother isn't coming to the party.</emphasis></p> <p><emphasis>Il loro fratello non viene alla festa.</emphasis> <emphasis role="Bolditalic">Their brother isn't coming to the</emphasis> <emphasis>party.</emphasis></p> <p><emphasis>I miei fratelli non vengono alla festa.</emphasis> <emphasis role="Bolditalic">My brothers are not coming to</emphasis> <emphasis>the party.</emphasis></p> <h2>Exercise 11: Article or No Article?</h2> <p>Choose the correct way of expressing possession.</p> <ul> <li><p><emphasis>il mio libro/mio libro</emphasis></p></li> <li><p><emphasis>la loro sorella/loro sorella</emphasis></p></li> <li><p><emphasis>i nostri amici/nostri amici</emphasis></p></li> <li><p><emphasis>il mio padre/mio padre</emphasis></p></li> <li><p><emphasis>la Sua casa/Sua casa</emphasis></p></li> <li><p><emphasis>i miei fratelli/miei fratelli</emphasis></p></li> <li><p><emphasis>la vostra famiglia/vostra famiglia</emphasis></p></li> <li><p><emphasis>la mia cugina/mia cugina</emphasis></p></li> <li><p><emphasis>i nostri cugini/nostri cugini</emphasis></p></li> <li><p><emphasis>il suo ragazzo/suo ragazzo</emphasis></p></li> </ul> <h2>Exercise 12: Number and Gender of Possessive Adjectives</h2> <p>Rewrite the sentence, substituting for the nouns that follow. Make all necessary changes to the possessive adjective.</p> <ul> <li><p><emphasis>Io vedo mio fratello ogni giorno.</emphasis></p> <p><emphasis>sorella </emphasis></p> <p><emphasis>amici </emphasis></p> <p><emphasis>cugini </emphasis></p> <p><emphasis>madre </emphasis></p> <p><emphasis>nonni </emphasis></p></li> <li><p><emphasis>I Loro amici non possono venire alla festa.</emphasis></p> <p><emphasis>padre </emphasis></p> <p><emphasis>fratello </emphasis></p> <p><emphasis>sorelle </emphasis></p> <p><emphasis>amica </emphasis></p> <p><emphasis>zio </emphasis></p></li> <li><p><emphasis>La tua casa non è troppo grande.</emphasis></p> <p><emphasis>macchina </emphasis></p> <p><emphasis>albero di Natale </emphasis></p> <p><emphasis>tavolo </emphasis></p> <p><emphasis>uffici </emphasis></p> <p><emphasis>case </emphasis></p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Sua zia fa le spese il sabato.</emphasis></p> <p><emphasis>nipoti </emphasis></p> <p><emphasis>fidanzato </emphasis></p> <p><emphasis>figlie </emphasis></p> <p><emphasis>fratello </emphasis></p> <p><emphasis>amici </emphasis></p></li> </ul> <h2>Exercise 13: Express in Italian</h2> <p>Translate the following sentences into Italian.</p> <ul> <li><p>My brothers and his sister are good friends.</p> <p></p></li> <li><p>You can call my father this evening.</p> <p></p></li> <li><p>His uncle's name is Pietro.</p> <p></p></li> <li><p>My wife and I are going out with his friends on Saturday.</p> <p></p></li> <li><p>Do you know my cousins?</p> <p></p></li> </ul> <h2>Exercise 14: Correct Use of Possessive Adjectives</h2> <p>Complete the sentences with the correct possessive pronoun.</p> <ul> <li><p><emphasis>Noi invitiamo</emphasis> (your brothers) <emphasis>alla festa.</emphasis></p></li> <li><p>(Your books) .</p></li> <li><p>3. <emphasis>Linda e Mario parlano</emphasis> (to their dear aunt) .</p></li> <li><p>(His little brother) <emphasis>sono in Francia</emphasis>.</p></li> <li><p>(Their uncle) <emphasis>è povero</emphasis>.</p></li> <li><p>(Our Japanese car) <emphasis>è dal meccanico.</emphasis></p></li> <li><p>(Her daughters) <emphasis>fanno un viaggio in Italia.</emphasis></p></li> <li><p>(Your boyfriend) <emphasis>non lavora il sabato e la domenica.</emphasis></p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Oggi c'è una festa a casa</emphasis> (of my relatives) .</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Tu vedi</emphasis> (all your cousins) .</p></li> </ul>  <div id="pagination"><ul><li class="prev"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/italian-practice/reflexive-and-reciprocal-verbs-possessives-and-the-present-progressive/reciprocal-construction-verbs.htm" title="Reciprocal Construction Verbs">Reciprocal Construction Verbs</a></li><li class="next"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/italian-practice/reflexive-and-reciprocal-verbs-possessives-and-the-present-progressive/possessive-pronouns.htm" title="Possessive Pronouns">Possessive Pronouns</a> </li></ul></div></div> <div id="coda"> <div id="rel"><div class="n5">Related 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