Difference Between Your vs You’re (With Examples)

The mix-up between your and you’re is one of the most common grammar mistakes in English — even for native speakers. They sound exactly the same, but their meanings are completely different.

In this post, we’ll clear it up once and for all, with examples and answers to the most common your vs you're questions.

When to Use Your vs You’re? What’s the Difference?

Let’s break it down:

Your is a possessive adjective. It shows that something belongs to you.

“Is this your book?”

(The book belongs to you.)

You’re is a contraction of you are.

“You’re going to love this movie.”

(You are going to love this movie.)

Quick test: Try replacing the word with you are.

If it makes sense, use you’re. If not, it’s probably your.

Your vs You’re Examples

Let’s look at some side-by-side comparisons:

❌ Incorrect	✅ Correct	Why?
Your welcome.	You’re welcome.	It means you are welcome.
I love you’re style.	I love your style.	The style belongs to you.
Your going to be late.	You’re going to be late.	You are going to be late.
You’re dog is cute.	Your dog is cute.	The dog belongs to you.

These small differences can change the whole meaning of a sentence — or just make it sound wrong.

Is it you’re beautiful or your beautiful?

✔️ Correct: You’re beautiful

This means you are beautiful. It’s a compliment!

❌ Incorrect: Your beautiful

This would mean someone owns a “beautiful,” which doesn’t make sense.

✅ “You’re beautiful.” = You are beautiful

❌ “Your beautiful.” = ??? (Your beautiful what?)

Your Welcome vs You’re Welcome

Another common confusion is how to write a polite response.

✔️ Correct: You’re welcome

Because it means you are welcome.

“Thanks for helping me!”

✅ “You’re welcome!”

❌ Incorrect: Your welcome

This would mean someone owns a “welcome,” which isn’t a thing.

What Is the Difference: Your and You’re

To summarize:

Word	Type	Meaning	Example
Your	Possessive adjective	Shows something belongs to you	“Your phone is ringing.”
You’re	Contraction	Short for you are	“You’re my best friend.”

✏️ Tip: If you’re ever unsure, try expanding you’re into you are. If the sentence still makes sense, you’re good to go.

Mastering your vs you’re might seem like a small thing, but it goes a long way in making your writing look polished and professional.