Aggettivi possessivi in inglese

Summary

This video explains how to correctly use possessive adjectives in English, focusing on common mistakes made by Italian speakers. The speaker emphasizes that, unlike in Italian, English possessive adjectives do not change based on gender or number, and always refer to the possessor, not the object. Key examples include 'his,' 'her,' and 'its,' showing how they differ in English from their Italian counterparts. The video highlights the importance of understanding this rule and provides practical examples to help learners improve their usage of possessive adjectives in everyday contexts.

Takeaways

• 📝 **Pronunciation matters:** The pronunciation of 'possessive' in English is different from the Italian equivalent. It’s pronounced as /ˈpəˈzɛsɪv/ instead of using an Italian-like double 's'.
• 🔄 **Possessive adjectives do not change:** English possessive adjectives (my, your, his, her, its, our, their) do not vary based on gender or number, unlike in Italian.
• 👤 **Focus on the possessor:** Possessive adjectives in English always refer to the possessor, not the thing being possessed.
• 🧠 **Common mistake for Italian speakers:** Italians often want to match possessive adjectives to the object being possessed (like in Italian), but in English, they should match the owner.
• 🗣️ **Examples with 'its':** When referring to non-human entities or objects (like a table), use 'its' (e.g., 'Its legs are long').
• 🛠️ **Seven possessive adjectives:** There are exactly 7 possessive adjectives in English: my, your, his, her, its, our, their.
• 🔄 **No change in plural forms:** Unlike Italian, English possessive adjectives do not change in plural contexts (e.g., 'our' stays the same for 'il nostro' and 'i nostri').
• 👀 **Watch the context:** Understanding the context (e.g., 'his daughter' vs. 'her daughter') is crucial to selecting the right possessive adjective.
• 📅 **Real-world example:** 'Today is her birthday' — 'her' is used based on the possessor (e.g., the girl), not on the grammatical gender of 'birthday'.
• 💡 **Practical practice:** Practicing these rules will help Italian learners of English avoid common mistakes in possessive adjectives.

Q & A

What is a common mistake Italian speakers make when pronouncing the word 'possessive' in English?

Italian speakers often tend to pronounce 'possessive' as they would in Italian, focusing on the double 's'. However, in English, the first 's' has a 'z' sound, and the second one has a soft 's' sound, making the correct pronunciation 'zesser'.

How are possessive adjectives in English different from those in Italian?

In English, possessive adjectives do not change based on gender or number. They remain the same regardless of whether the object is masculine, feminine, singular, or plural, unlike in Italian where adjectives change according to these factors.

What is the key factor that determines the form of a possessive adjective in English?

The possessive adjective in English is determined by the possessor, not by the object that is being possessed. For example, 'its legs' refers to the legs of a table, and 'its' refers to the table, not the legs.

Can you provide an example of how possessive adjectives work in English compared to Italian?

In English, we say 'its legs are long,' referring to a table's legs, whereas in Italian, it would be 'le sue gambe sono lunghe,' where 'sue' is matched to the feminine 'gambe' (legs), not 'tavolo' (table).

How many possessive adjectives are there in English?

There are seven possessive adjectives in English: my, your, his, her, its, our, and their.

Do possessive adjectives in English change based on the number or gender of the object being possessed?

No, possessive adjectives in English do not change based on the number or gender of the object. They remain the same regardless of whether the object is singular or plural, or masculine or feminine.

How do you decide whether to use 'his' or 'her' in English?

You use 'his' if the possessor is male and 'her' if the possessor is female. The possessive adjective is always based on the gender of the person who owns the object, not the object itself.

What is the correct possessive adjective in the sentence: 'The table’s legs are long'?

The correct possessive adjective is 'its' because the legs belong to the table, which is a non-living object. Therefore, we use 'its'.

Why is the sentence 'His daughter' used in English regardless of the daughter's gender?

In English, the possessive adjective 'his' refers to the possessor (Tom in this case), not the gender of the daughter. Since Tom is male, we use 'his' to indicate possession.

How would you translate the sentence 'Today is her birthday' into English, and why?

The correct translation is 'Today is her birthday.' Although 'birthday' is masculine in Italian, in English we use 'her' because the birthday belongs to a female (the girl).