Mixing up your and you're is one of the fastest ways to make an email or post look careless. Fortunately, the rule is simple.
The short answer #
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| your | belonging to you | Is this your phone? |
| you're | short for you are | You're doing great. |
Your: something belongs to you #
Your is possessive. A noun always follows it.
- Thanks for your help.
- Don't forget your password.
You're: you are #
You're is a contraction. The apostrophe replaces the a in are.
- You're welcome. → You are welcome.
- I think you're right. → I think you are right.
The test #
Swap in "you are." If the sentence still works, use you're. If not, use your.
___ welcome! → "You are welcome"? Yes. So: You're welcome!
Common mistakes #
| Wrong | Right |
|---|---|
| You're welcome. | |
| Is this |
Is this your bag? |
| You're the best! |
Never send it wrong again #
AI Grammar Checker spots your and you're mix-ups in context, so your messages look polished before you hit send.