Possessives for plural owners
When the "owner" is plural (we, you, they), French possessive adjectives are actually a bit simpler than the singular ones. You only need to choose between a singular form and a plural form. The gender (masculine or feminine) of the noun being owned no longer matters!
"Our": notre and nos
If "we" own a single thing, use notre, regardless of its gender. If we own multiple things, use nos.
| This is our project. | C'est notre projet. |
| Our manager is speaking to a client. | Notre chef parle à un client. |
| Our teams are ready. | Nos équipes sont prêtes. |
"Your": votre and vos
To say "your" when addressing a group (or one person formally using vous), use votre for a singular item and vos for plural items.
| Your manager is preparing a meeting. | Votre chef prépare une réunion. |
| Your clients are here. | Vos clients sont ici. |
"Their": leur and leurs
When a group of people owns something, use leur for a single item and leurs for multiple items. Notice that leur and leurs sound exactly the same when spoken, but you must add the "s" in writing when the noun is plural.
| Their group works well. | Leur groupe travaille bien. |
| Their colleagues are very nice. | Leurs collègues sont très sympas. |
Summary of plural possessives
Here is a quick summary for when the owner is plural (or formal vous):
| Owner | Singular item | Plural items |
|---|---|---|
| Nous (our) | notre | nos |
| Vous (your) | votre | vos |
| Ils/Elles (their) | leur | leurs |
