your

1.adjectiveA1

Definition

used before a noun to show that the thing, person, or quality you name belongs to the person you are speaking to, or is closely connected with them — for example, your car means the car that you own, or your mother means the person who is your parent

Example

Christopher, is this your notebook on the kitchen table?

your + noun showing concrete ownership

Layla found your wallet under the passenger seat of her car.

Common collocations

your own
your very own
your personal

Grammar Patterns

your + noun (concrete possession)

Usage Note

Always appears directly before a noun. Do not confuse with you're, which is the short form of you are (Your bag vs. You're kind).

Common Mistakes

Your a great student.

You're a great student.

Your shows belonging; you're is short for you are.

I found you're wallet.

I found your wallet.

You're means you are, not belonging.

1.determinerA1

Definition

used before a noun to refer to actions, feelings, situations, or experiences that involve the person you are talking to — for example, your health, your job, or your opinion on a matter

Example

Théo, how was your first day at the new company?

your + experience noun (your first day, your turn)

Soraya, you should take care of your health before the busy season starts.

Common collocations

your turn
your best
your time
your way

Grammar Patterns

your + abstract noun (feelings, actions, experiences)

Usage Note

Distinguish from the adjective 'YOUR POSSESSION' sense: this sense covers abstract or experiential connections (your work, your opinion, your health) rather than tangible ownership. The grammatical function is the same — always before a noun — but the noun names an activity, feeling, or situation rather than an object.

2.determinerA2

Definition

used before a noun to talk about people in general, rather than a particular person — used in statements about typical situations, advice, or general truths about life

Example

You should always follow your heart when you choose a career path.

generic your meaning 'people's' or 'one's'

Getting enough sleep is important for your health and your mood.

Common collocations

your own
your average
your typical

Synonyms

one's
more formal; used in writing rather than speech — 'One should follow one's heart'
people's
refers to a group rather than an individual — 'People's health is important'

Grammar Patterns

your + noun (generic or general truth)

Usage Note

This generic sense cannot refer to a specific individual. Unlike the two possessive senses (YOUR POSSESSION and YOUR EXPERIENCES), this one works in general advice, rules, or observations where you could also use one's in more formal English.

Common Mistakes

Your must take care of your health' (overusing 'your').

It is fine in generic advice, but avoid using it twice in the same short sentence when one is enough.

3.determinerB1

Definition

used in informal speech before an adjective plus noun to show that the person or thing represents a well-known sort or category — describing someone or something that closely matches what you would normally picture for that type

Example

Inês is your typical teenager who spends hours on her phone.

your + typical/standard/basic + noun (informal)

That café is your standard student hangout with cheap coffee and free Wi-Fi.

Common collocations

your typical
your standard
your basic
your average
your classic

Grammar Patterns

your + adjective + noun (typical example formula)

Usage Note

This is an informal, spoken-English pattern. The noun phrase after your must include an adjective (your typical X, your standard X, your basic X). It does NOT mean 'belonging to you' — that would be a different sense.

Common Mistakes

This is your restaurant near my house' (using this sense for actual possession).

This is your typical restaurant near my house

the adjective is needed to mark the meaning.

Word family

you
pronounA1
yours
pronounA1
yourself
pronounA1
yourselves
pronounA2

Synonym discussion

Sense: determiner/2

The generic use of your (as in 'you should follow your heart') creates a personal, conversational tone that makes general advice feel directly relevant to the listener. One's is the formal equivalent ('one should follow one's heart') and is common in academic or formal writing but rarely used in everyday speech. People's shifts the focus from an individual to a collective group ('people's hearts') and sounds less immediate. The article the can sometimes replace generic your ('the heart' instead of 'your heart'), but the result is more abstract and less engaging — it states a general truth without involving the reader. In spoken English, your is overwhelmingly the most natural choice for giving advice or describing common experiences, while one's sounds stiff and the sounds detached. For example, 'You need to take care of your health' sounds like natural friendly advice, whereas 'One needs to take care of one's health' sounds like a rule in a textbook.

one'speople'sthe ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

own (your own)
time (your time)
turn (your turn)
best (your best)
way (your way)
health (your health)
opinion (your opinion)

Phrases

your very own
all your
your typical
your standard
your basic
your average

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Your comes from Old English ēower, which was the possessive form of gē (meaning 'you'). This word is related to German euer and Dutch uw, all from the same ancient Germanic root. Over time, the spelling shifted from the Middle English your(e) to the modern spelling your.

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your

your — adjective

1. used before a noun to show that the thing, person, or quality you name belongs t

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

your — determiner

1. used before a noun to refer to actions, feelings, situations, or experiences tha

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

2. used before a noun to talk about people in general, rather than a particular per

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

3. used in informal speech before an adjective plus noun to show that the person or

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

Word family

Synonym discussion

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

Etymology

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