French Conversation · Level 3
88 words
French word
son
Pronunciation
IPA/sɔ̃/
Meaning
- adjectivehis
Example
Il a cassé son vélo.
He broke his bike.
More examples
Il a perdu son téléphone.
He lost his phone.
Core concept
A compact word placed before a singular noun to show that it belongs to one third person.
Common phrases
son téléphone
his phone
son chien
his dog
son portefeuille
his wallet
Similar words
sa: A short possessive adjective before a noun showing that it belongs to her.
ses: A short possessive adjective before a plural noun showing third-person ownership.
ton: A short possessive adjective before a noun showing that it belongs to one listener.
ma: A short possessive adjective before a noun showing that it belongs to the speaker.
Definition in French
Indique qu'un objet appartient à la troisième personne du singulier, placé devant un nom singulier (masculin ou commençant par une voyelle).
Word origin
Son continues Latin suus through Old French development and is unrelated to the noun son meaning sound, which comes from Latin sonus.
Usage tips
- The possessor is not marked for gender in son, and à lui or à elle can clarify the owner when context is ambiguous.