Three distances
English has two demonstratives, "this" and "that". Spanish has three:
| Distance | Demonstrative | Place word |
|---|---|---|
| near the speaker | este (this) | aquí (here) |
| near the listener, or a bit further | ese (that) | ahí (there) |
| far from both | aquel (that over there) | allí (over there) |
- Este bolso es mío. — This bag is mine. (I'm holding it)
- ¿Me das ese libro? — Can you give me that book? (next to you)
- Aquel edificio es el hospital. — That building over there is the hospital.
In everyday speech ese is used much more than aquel, which sounds more distant in space or time: en aquella época (back in those days).
The forms
Demonstratives agree in gender and number with the noun.
| Masc. sing. | Fem. sing. | Masc. plural | Fem. plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| this / these | este | esta | estos | estas |
| that / those | ese | esa | esos | esas |
| that / those (far) | aquel | aquella | aquellos | aquellas |
Note the irregular masculine singulars: este, ese (not esto, eso) and aquel (no -o).
As pronouns
The same forms can stand alone, replacing a noun:
- ¿Qué camisa prefieres, esta o esa? — Which shirt do you prefer, this one or that one?
- Mis zapatos son aquellos. — My shoes are those over there.
Older texts write the pronoun with an accent (éste, ésa). Current spelling rules do not require it.
Neuter: esto, eso, aquello
Esto, eso and aquello never go before a noun. They refer to something unknown, an idea or a situation:
- ¿Qué es esto? — What is this? (you don't know what it is)
- Eso es verdad. — That's true.
- No entiendo eso. — I don't understand that.
- Aquello fue terrible. — That (whole situation) was terrible.
Place words
| Meaning | Example | |
|---|---|---|
| aquí | here | Vivo aquí. |
| ahí | there (near you) | Deja la maleta ahí. |
| allí | over there | El museo está allí. |
In Latin America you also hear acá (here) and allá (over there) very often.
Watch out as an English speaker
- "That" is also que. English uses "that" as a conjunction and relative pronoun; Spanish uses que, never eso. ✗ Creo eso es verdad. / ✓ Creo que es verdad. ✗ el libro eso compré / ✓ el libro que compré.
- Unknown things are neuter. ✗ ¿Qué es este? / ✓ ¿Qué es esto?
- Agreement. English "this" never changes. ✗ este casa, estes libros / ✓ esta casa, estos libros.
- Esto is not a masculine form. ✗ esto coche / ✓ este coche.
Example dialogue
¿Cuánto cuesta esta chaqueta? — How much is this jacket?
Esa cuesta sesenta euros. — That one is sixty euros.
¿Y aquellos pantalones del escaparate? — And those trousers in the window?
Aquellos están rebajados. Eso sí es una oferta. — Those are reduced. Now that's a bargain.