Its

Table of contents

1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Possessive pronoun 1.3.1 Translations 1.4 Possessive adjective 1.4.1 Translations 1.5 Usage 1.6 Homophones 1.7 See also

English

Etymology

Originally, the genitive case form of the word it; compare with "his", "hers", "ours", "yours", et cetera.

The belief that its derived from it's or was a contraction of some longer form, or that it bears any relationship to the possessive apostrophe-s, are common misapprehensions.

Pronunciation

• SAMPA : /'/
• IPA : /Its/

Possessive pronoun

its

1. Possessive form of it.

   This is its space ship.

Translations

Dutch: de zijne

Swedish: dess

Possessive adjective

its

1. Belonging to it (used as an possessive adjective).

   That book is its.

Translations

Dutch: zijn m, haar f (Dutch has no genitive of het (it)) Esperanto: gxia French: son m, sa f

Spanish: su Swedish: dess

Usage

• Its is the possessive form of it.
• It's is a contraction of "it is" or "it has."

  "It's going to rain" is equivalent to "it is going to rain."

• Its can function as a possessive pronoun and a possessive adjective. Its meaning is the same when used in either case.

Homophones

• It's

See also

• Their