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det A1 Beginner Very common

its

ihts
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Its (det) means belonging to it. Example: “The dog wagged its tail.”

det
1
Belonging to it.
"The dog wagged its tail."
"The company increased its profits this year."
"The old tree lost its leaves early this autumn."

How to use its

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishBelonging to it — don't confuse with "it's" (it is).

Common mistake

Its (no apostrophe) shows possession. It's (with an apostrophe) is short for "it is" or "it has." If you can replace it with "it is" and the sentence still works, use it's.

Easily confused with
it's →
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The dog wagged _____ tail.

Etymology

Formed in the 1500s–1600s as a new possessive form of "it" — Old English originally used "his" instead.

Origin: Old English · First attested 1500

Class of 1500 its joined the language around 1500.
acknowledge amok asthma atlas axis
See the full Class of 1500 →

Rhymes for its

bits wits tits Kits shits Grits Brits splits
See all rhymes for its →

Frequently asked questions

What does “its” mean?
The word “its” means belonging to it. In plain terms, belonging to it — don't confuse with "it's" (it is).
How do you pronounce “its”?
“Its” is pronounced ihts (/ɪʔ.s/ in IPA).
How do you use “its” in a sentence?
Here is “its” used in a sentence: “The dog wagged its tail.”
What part of speech is “its”?
“Its” is a det.
Where does the word “its” come from?
The word “its” dates back to around 1500 and comes from Old English. Formed in the 1500s–1600s as a new possessive form of "it" — Old English originally used "his" instead.
Is “its” a common word?
“Its” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the difference between its and it's?
"Its" (no apostrophe) is the possessive, meaning belonging to it ("the dog wagged its tail"). "It's" (with an apostrophe) is only ever the contraction of "it is" or "it has" ("it's raining," "it's been ages"). If you can replace the word with "it is," you need the apostrophe.
Why doesn't its have an apostrophe?
Possessive pronouns and determiners in English — his, hers, ours, yours, theirs, its — never take apostrophes. The apostrophe in "it's" marks the missing letters of "it is," not possession, which is why the possessive form is "its" with no apostrophe.
Is "its'" ever correct?
No. "Its'" with an apostrophe after the s is never a correct English word. The only two forms are "its" (possessive) and "it's" (short for "it is" or "it has").
Can its refer to a baby or an animal?
Yes, though usage varies. "Its" is normal for animals of unknown sex ("the bird built its nest") and is grammatically possible for a baby, but many people find it impersonal and prefer "his," "her," or "their" once the child is known.

Example sentences

Real-world examples showing its in context, drawn from published sources. Any opinions expressed are those of the original source and do not reflect the views of FreeDict.com.

These protections are meant to catch a model that’s acting deceptively, hiding its true capabilities, or otherwise working against what its developers intended.
From Fortune · Jul 25, 2026

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