Many people don’t know the difference between your and you’re. Even native speakers don’t always use the right form. Your and you’re are pronounced in the same way, but they have completely different meanings. This article offers a complete overview of the differences and teaches you when to use them.
Difference your and you’re
Your: is a possessive adjective/determiner and is used to express possession. It’s the possessive form of you and needs to be placed right before the noun it modifies.
- I have your phone.
- They want your money!
- We want to hear your side of the story.
You’re: a contraction of ‘you are’. It’s the combination of the personal pronoun ‘you’ and the short form of ‘are’ (‘re). It works in the same way as ‘you are’.
- You’re happy today!
- You’re always late.
- You’re not paying attention.
Your or you’re overview
It’s impossible to know which one is used based on pronunciation. That’s why it is important to look at the context to know which form is used: your or you’re. You’ll find an overview of the differences and similarities below.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| your | possessive adjective/determiner expresses possession | They want your money. |
| you’re | contracted form of ‘you are’ | You’re always late. |
