Mi tu su, using instead of vuestros, nuestros
Why do I need to use Vuestros instead of sus? This is what I think correct sentence should look like:
¿Cuántos años tienen sus hijos, Abi y Rafael? ¿Mis hijos? Pues, Abi tiene 12 y mi hermano Rafael tiene 8.
But, my grammar book says that I should use Vuestros instead of sus, Nuestros instead of mis, and su instead of mi. I don't understand why! Explain me, please.
3 Answers
In Spain. "vosotros" is the familiar plural. The possessive for "your" is vuestro/a/s This is hardly heard of in Latin America.
If I were talking to a Spanish friend, to say "How are your kids" I would say "Qué tal vuestros hijos?
In Latin America "you" familiar plural is "ustedes." So I would say "Qué tal sus hijos?"
So Gringo, your Spanish teacher is using the "Spanish" form of "you-all" which is "vosotros." and the possessive form "vuestros."
OK?
Tus ( informal way) or sus(formal way) if you are asking to the children's mother or to the children's father.( only to one of them)
Responding mis hijos tienen....
Vuestros (informal way) . Sus ( formal way) if you are asking to the children's parents.( both mother and father)
Responding nuestros hijos tienen.....
The answers you have received tell you this:
If you are talking to a couple who are your friends and are natives of Spain, the conversation would be: (I am assuming that Abi is a girl)
Q ¿Cuántos años tienen vuestros hijos, Abi y Rafael?
A ¿Nuestros hijos? Pues, Abi tiene 12 y su hermano Rafael tiene 8. (su = her)
If you are talking to a couple who are your friends in the Americas, the conversation would be:
Q ¿Cuántos años tienen sus hijos, Abi y Rafael? (sus = de ustedes)
A ¿Nuestros hijos? Pues, Abi tiene 12 y su hermano Rafael tiene 8. (su = her)
If you are talking to a couple in Spain (or elsewhere) who are not friends, you would probably not ask this question.
