We show that the &kgr;,a0(980), &sgr; and thef0(980) resonances constitute the lightest scalar nonet in three different ways. First, by establishing the continuous movement of the poles from the physical to a SU(3) limit. Second, by performing an analysis of the couplings of the scalar mesons to pairs of pseudoscalars and third, by analysing the couplings of the scalars with two pseudoscalars SU(3) scattering eigenstates. Every of the last two methods agree that the mixing angle between the singlet and the octetI= 0 states is &thgr; = 19° ± 5 degrees, so that the &sgr; is mainly the singlet and thef0(980) the isosinglet octet state. © 2003 American Institute of Physics