Commonly Confused
Your vs You're
What's the difference?
These sound identical, so the ear can't help you — but one simple test sorts it out every time.
Quick answer
You're = you are. Your = belonging to you. If you can say "you are," use you're.
Compared side by side
(possessive) belonging to you.
- “Is this your bag?”
- “I really like your idea.”
- “Bring your friends along.”
(contraction) short for "you are."
- “You're going to love this.”
- “I think you're right.”
- “You're always welcome here.”
How to remember it
you're = you + are, with the apostrophe standing in for the missing "a." If "you are" fits, use you're; otherwise your.
Frequently asked
How do I test which one to use?
Expand it to "you are." "You're late" → "You are late" ✓. "Your bag" → "You are bag" ✗, so it's your.
Which one is more common?
"Your" is more common overall; "you're" only when you mean "you are." When unsure, try the expansion.