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Writer's pictureCristina Loureiro

What is YOUR favourite drink, coffee or tea? – Possessive Pronoun YOUR in Portuguese


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Personally, I would choose coffee. Needless to say, Portuguese people love to socialise over a cup of coffee, so that probably explains it.


You are almost certainly wondering “Aren’t we here to talk about the pronoun YOUR?”


Yes, you are absolutely right! I am digressing, completely led astray by the aroma of a perfectly brewed expresso.

Now grab a cup of coffee (or tea) and let’s get down to business.







YOUR in Portuguese can have THREE different meanings: o teu, o seu or o vosso.


O teu – when talking to someone informally

O seu – when talking to someone formally

O vosso – when talking to two or more people


Have a look at these three sentences. They all mean “Your coffee is cold”.


1. O teu café está frio.

2. O seu café está frio.

3. O vosso café está frio.


Whose coffee is cold then?


1. O teu café está frio. You are talking to a friend, a relative, or someone you have a close or a “relaxed” relationship with. In this case, you are likely to choose an informal register, so you say “o teu”.


2. O seu café está frio. You are talking to a person in a formal manner. This may be any situation that requires a degree of formality – in shops, public services or when talking to a work colleagues or anyone unknown to you. This sentence can be translated as “Your coffee is cold, Madam/Sir.”


3. O vosso café está frio. You are talking to two or more people at the same time. Thus, “o vosso” is used for the plural “your”.



I hope your coffee (or tea) hasn’t gone cold because of this laborious trio.

If that’s the case, please make yourself a fresh one because you deserve it!



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