Want to say my phone, your sister, or my friends in French without second-guessing yourself? In this lesson, you’ll master the A1 essentials: mon, ma, mes (my) and ton, ta, tes (your). We’ll keep it practical with everyday words, simple rules, and quick exercises so you can use them right away.

What are mon, ma, mes / ton, ta, tes?

French has different words for “my” and “your” depending on the thing you’re talking about (its gender and number), not on you. That’s the key idea.

• je (I) → mon (masc. sing.), ma (fem. sing.), mes (plural)
• tu (you, informal) → ton (masc. sing.), ta (fem. sing.), tes (plural)

Choose the form that matches the noun that follows.

J’ai frère.

Useful nouns to practice with

Learn these common words and their gender so choosing mon/ma/mes and ton/ta/tes becomes automatic.

The core rule (and one elegant exception)

• Use mon/ton with masculine singular nouns: mon frère, ton téléphone
• Use ma/ta with feminine singular nouns: ma sœur, ta maison
• Use mes/tes with any plural noun: mes clés, tes idées

There’s a pronunciation-friendly exception:

• Use mon/ton (not ma/ta) before a feminine noun that begins with a vowel sound or silent h: mon amie (my female friend), ton école (your school), mon histoire (my story), ton heure (your hour). This avoids the awkward vowel clash of “ma amie.”

ma amie → mon amie Feminine noun starting with a vowel sound → use mon/ton to ease pronunciation.

Tu prends clés ?

C’est amie, Léa.

Plural made easy: mes / tes

Plural is simple: use mes for “my” and tes for “your (tu)” regardless of gender.

• mes amis (my friends), mes photos (my photos), mes devoirs (my homework)
• tes livres (your books), tes chaussures (your shoes), tes idées (your ideas)

Pro tip: If the noun is plural, the adjective must be plural too. Don’t mix ta/ma with plural nouns.

ta idées → tes idées Plural noun → use tes (for tu).

Quick check-in quiz

Try these to see if the rules are sticking.

Mini conversation: put it in order

Rebuild a real-life exchange using mon/ma/mes and ton/ta/tes.

Culture nugget: tu or vous?

Mon/ma/mes pair with je (I), and ton/ta/tes pair with tu (informal you). In French-speaking cultures, choosing tu (informal) vs. vous (formal/plural) is an important social cue. You’ll use:

• tu + ton/ta/tes with friends, family, and peers
• vous + votre/vos in formal situations or when speaking to more than one person

We focus on tu here, but remember: to be polite or professional, you’ll often switch to vous and use votre/vos instead of ton/ta/tes.

Your turn: practical phrases to reuse

Try these patterns with words from your own life.

• C’est mon + [masc. noun]: C’est mon ordinateur, mon passeport, mon café.
• C’est ma + [fem. noun]: C’est ma carte, ma chaise, ma valise.
• Ce sont mes + [plural noun]: Ce sont mes billets, mes amis, mes photos.
• C’est ton/ta/tes + [noun]: C’est ta place ? Ce sont tes livres ?

Say them out loud and swap in your own nouns.

Spot the pattern, then extend it

You now know how to pick mon/ma/mes and ton/ta/tes. The big levers are:

• Gender of the noun (masculine/feminine)
• Number (singular/plural)
• Vowel-sound exception for feminine nouns (mon/ton amie, idée, école…)

Keep a simple noun list with gender. Every time you learn a new word, note m or f. That one small habit makes possessives a breeze.

One last mini-drill

Fill the blank with the correct form. Keep the exception in mind!

Tu as vu école ? Elle est belle !

Quick recap

• je → mon (m), ma (f), mes (pl)
• tu → ton (m), ta (f), tes (pl)
• Use mon/ton before feminine nouns that start with a vowel or silent h
• Always match the number of the noun: plural noun → mes/tes

You’ve got the toolkit. Next time you point at something, claim it in French with confidence: C’est mon livre ! Ce sont tes clés ! Keep practicing by labeling items around you for the next 24 hours—your brain will thank you.