suyo
Lemma Details
Translation: his; hers; yours (formal); theirs; its
Part of Speech: possessive pronoun
Etymology: Derived from Latin 'suus' (his own, her own, its own), which comes from Proto-Indo-European *s(w)e- (self). This root is related to English words like 'self' and the 'se-' in 'seclude'. The Latin possessive adjective 'suus' evolved into Old Spanish 'so', which later became 'suyo' in modern Spanish.
Commonality: 90%
Guessability: 30%
Register: neutral
Mnemonics
- Think of 'suyo' as containing 'su' (his/her/your/their) plus an ending, making it a standalone form.
- Associate 'suyo' with the English phrase 'That's so you!' to remember it means 'yours'.
- The 'y' in 'suyo' can remind you of the 'y' in 'your' for one of its meanings.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Cultural Context
In Spanish, possessive pronouns like 'suyo' agree in gender and number with the possessed object, not the possessor. This differs from English where possessive pronouns don't change form based on what is possessed. Also, 'suyo' can refer to formal 'you' (usted), which doesn't have a direct equivalent in English possessives.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: 'Su' is a possessive adjective that must precede a noun, while 'suyo' is a possessive pronoun that can stand alone or follow the noun with an article.
Confused word:
Su libro está aquí.
His/her/your/their book is here.
Notes: Both 'su' and 'suyo' are ambiguous regarding who the possessor is (third person singular/plural or formal second person). Context or clarification with 'de él', 'de ella', etc. is often needed.
Mnemonic: 'Su' is shorter and comes before nouns; 'suyo' is longer and can stand alone.
Explanation: 'Tuyo' is the informal second-person singular possessive pronoun (yours), while 'suyo' can be third-person (his/hers/theirs) or formal second-person (yours).
Confused word:
Este regalo es tuyo, amigo.
This gift is yours, friend.
Notes: 'Tuyo' is used only in informal contexts with people you would address as 'tú', while 'suyo' is used in formal contexts with people you would address as 'usted'.
Mnemonic: 'Tuyo' starts with 't' like 'tú' (informal you); 'suyo' starts with 's' like 'su' (his/her/your formal/their).