our
Our (det) means belonging to or associated with the speaker and at least one other person. Example: “We packed our bags and left early in the morning.”
How to use our
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe possessive form of "we" — used before a noun, unlike "ours."
"Our" and "hour" sound identical but mean completely different things — check the context.
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
We packed _____ bags and left early in the morning.
Etymology
From Old English ūre, tracing back to a Proto-Germanic word meaning "of us."
Rhymes for our
See all rhymes for our →Frequently asked questions
What does “our” mean?
The word “our” means belonging to or associated with the speaker and at least one other person. In plain terms, the possessive form of "we" — used before a noun, unlike "ours.".
How do you pronounce “our”?
“Our” is pronounced OW-uh (/æwɝ/ in IPA).
How do you use “our” in a sentence?
Here is “our” used in a sentence: “We packed our bags and left early in the morning.”
What part of speech is “our”?
“Our” is a det.
Where does the word “our” come from?
The word “our” comes from Old English. From Old English ūre, tracing back to a Proto-Germanic word meaning "of us.".
Is “our” a common word?
“Our” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the difference between our and ours?
"Our" is a determiner and must come before a noun ("our house"), while "ours" stands alone ("the house is ours"). "Ours" never takes an apostrophe — "our's" is always incorrect.
What is the difference between our and are?
"Our" is a possessive meaning belonging to us ("our plans"), while "are" is a form of the verb "be" ("they are ready"). They get confused because in fast speech "our" is often pronounced like "are," but in writing they are never interchangeable.
Does our include the person you are talking to?
It can, but it does not have to. "Our" covers the speaker plus at least one other person; that other person may be the listener ("our conversation") or someone else entirely ("our team beat yours"). English has no separate inclusive and exclusive forms, so context makes the meaning clear.
What is the difference between our and hour?
"Our" is the possessive of "we," while "hour" is a unit of time equal to sixty minutes. They are pronounced identically in most accents, making them classic homophones, but they are unrelated in meaning and spelling.
Example sentences
Real-world examples showing our in context, drawn from published sources. Any opinions expressed are those of the original source and do not reflect the views of FreeDict.com.
It leans into the "space cop" vibe, reveals that shapeshifting Manhunters will be central to the plot, takes us into outer space, and also gives us our first look at Sinestro (Ulrich Thomsen), a former Corps member gone rogue.
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