Coinfusion with Su

Question

I realize "su" can stand for you, him, her, it etc. So how do you get around this explaination in English?

{I met your father. He offered to lend me his car. I met your mother. She offered to lend me your car.}

In the Spanish translators both sentences come out as "offered to lend me "su" car."

Would one have to try "offered to lend me "carro suyo" in the second case?

Forget the"carro suyo" it's not any clearer. - Jubilado, Oct 30, 2012

Answer 1

When you talk in the second person, "su" as in "your" is used when you are using the formal version of "you" ("usted")

¿Usted perdió su lapiz? "did you lost your pencil?"

If you can use the informal form of you ("tú"), the "su" becomes "tu". The informal form of you is used most commonly between people of similar age, friends, family, coworkers, classmates, etc.

¿Tú trajiste tu lápiz? "did you bring your pencil with you?

Using "tu", the problem is gone!

Though is confusing from outside, I can't think of any time I have had problems using "su". It always was clear from the context (you can always nod or point at the thing).

Thinking a little, I think a good rule of thumb is that any "su" is reffering to "the last person named"

A "¿Usted es Juan?" (Are you Juan?)

B "Sí" (Yes)

A "¿Este es su reloj?" (Is this your watch?)

B "No, no lo es" (No, it isn't)

A "Ha visto a Manuel?" (Have you seen Manuel?)

B "Está afuera" (He is outside)

A "tal vez sea suyo" (may it's his)

B "es probable" (It's likely)

Answer 2

If it is ever unclear who you mean to be the possessor you add de usted, de él, de ella, de ustedes, de ellos, or de ellas to clarify. You're talking to someone who is not a friend so you're using the formal and you say: Vi a su madre, y estaba manejando su carro de usted. I saw your mother and she was driving your car. (not her car)

Neat Jubi - I got fixated on the idea that the question was being addressed to a "tu" not a"su". It's all relevant in proper context though. - geofc, Oct 30, 2012

Answer 3

I always thought that this was simply a weakness in Spanish grammar. The only way to get round it seems to be to add a whole lot more words to point to the true owner of the car (or equivalent). I look forward to being enlightened. In the meantime "conocí a tu papa quien ofreció prestarme su propio carro" - "conocí a tu mama quien ofrecio prestarme tu coche". Note that the second case refers to an owner who can be more precisely defined (me whom you're talking/writing to) and therefore doesn't suffer from the confusion over whose it is.