Your vs You’re | Difference & Definitions
The difference between your and you’re is that “your” is a possessive adjective that indicates ownership (e.g., “Those are your tickets”), whereas “you’re” is a contraction for “you are” (e.g., “You’re going to love this”).
“Your” and “you’re” cause a lot of confusion because they’re homophones, meaning they sound the same but have different definitions (and, in this case, different spellings).
| Examples: Your in a sentence | Examples: You’re in a sentence |
|---|---|
| Your package is on the way. | You’re going to love the present I got for you. |
| I will drop off your coffee on the way to work. | He told me you’re going to Bali next month on your honeymoon. |
| Your dress looks fantastic! | You’re not going to believe what just happened. |
When to use your
“Your” is a possessive adjective, which is a word that helps indicate possession or ownership by modifying a noun. Other types of possessive adjectives include “my,” “her,” “his,” “our,” etc.
“Your” can also help denote relationships between people (e.g., “Is that your boss?”) or can be used to identify a characteristic or trait of someone you’re addressing (e.g., “Your charisma is palpable”).
Will your sister be joining us for dinner?
Your wacky humor always makes me laugh.
- Your glasses are so cute and unique.
- My glasses are so cute and unique.
- You are glasses are so cute and unique.
When to use you’re
“You’re” is a contraction of “you are.” A contraction is a word formed by combining two words by replacing one or more letters with an apostrophe. Other examples include “it’s” for “it is,” “he’s” for “he is,” and “you’ll” for “you will.”
“You’re” helps describe someone (e.g., “You’re beautiful”) or expresses a state of being (e.g., “You’re leaving”).
You’re everything I could’ve ever asked for—kind, funny, and caring.
I’m going to take a left; you’re going to take a right.
Your welcome or you’re welcome
“You’re welcome” is an expression used as a response when someone thanks you.
The correct spelling is always “you’re welcome,” not “your welcome.”
- You’re welcome; it didn’t take much for me to pick her up on the way home.
- Your welcome; it didn’t take much for me to pick her up on the way home.
Frequently asked questions about your or you're
- Is it your right or you’re right?
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When describing someone as correct or accurate, the correct phrase to use is “you’re right” (e.g., “You’re right about the movie being way too long”).
When referring to someone’s moral or legal entitlement to be able to do something, the correct phrase is “your right” (e.g., “It is your right to freely express yourself”).
- Is it your best or you’re best?
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When requesting for someone to exert maximum effort or when describing their top performance or achievement, the correct phrase is “your best” (e.g., “Do your best and you’ll have no regrets”).
“You’re best” is a spelling mistake and should be avoided.
