hers
HURZ
Hers (pron) means the thing or things belonging to her; used in place of "her" plus a noun. Example: “I forgot my umbrella, so Sarah lent me hers.”
pron
1
The thing or things belonging to her; used in place of "her" plus a noun.
"I forgot my umbrella, so Sarah lent me hers."
"That coat isn't mine, it's hers."
"The winning idea was hers from the start."
How to use hers
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA possessive pronoun meaning "belonging to her," used without a noun following it.
Common mistake
Never write it as "her's" — "hers" has no apostrophe, just like "yours" and "ours."
Easily confused with
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Word forms
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I forgot my umbrella, so Sarah lent me _____.
Etymology
From Middle English hires/heres, formed from "her" plus the possessive ending "-s."
Frequently asked questions
What does “hers” mean?
The word “hers” means the thing or things belonging to her; used in place of "her" plus a noun. In plain terms, a possessive pronoun meaning "belonging to her," used without a noun following it.
How do you pronounce “hers”?
“Hers” is pronounced HURZ (/ˈhɝz/ in IPA).
How do you use “hers” in a sentence?
Here is “hers” used in a sentence: “That coat isn't mine, it's hers.”
What part of speech is “hers”?
“Hers” is a pronoun.
Where does the word “hers” come from?
The word “hers” comes from Middle English. From Middle English hires/heres, formed from "her" plus the possessive ending "-s.".
Is “hers” a common word?
“Hers” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the difference between hers and her?
Her is a possessive determiner used before a noun, as in "her car." Hers is a possessive pronoun that stands alone in place of "her" plus a noun, as in "the car is hers."
Does hers ever take an apostrophe?
No. Hers is never written with an apostrophe; the spelling "her's" is always incorrect. Like ours, yours, and theirs, it forms the possessive without one.
When should you use hers instead of her?
Use hers when no noun follows, because it already stands for the thing belonging to her, as in "This seat is hers." Use her when a noun comes straight after, as in "her seat."
Is it correct to say 'a friend of hers'?
Yes. "A friend of hers" is a standard construction, sometimes called a double genitive, and means one of her friends. Using "a friend of her" instead would be incorrect.
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