Demonstratives & Possessives

Introduction

Demonstratives ("this/that/those") and possessives ("my/your/their") are small words you use in almost every sentence. Spanish has three levels of distance for demonstratives (not just two like English) and two forms for possessives.

Demonstrative Adjectives

Spanish distinguishes three levels of distance from the speaker:

Examples

• Este libro es interesante. — This book is interesting.
• Esa casa es bonita. — That house is nice.
• Aquellas montañas son enormes. — Those mountains (over there) are enormous.

Distance cue: Este = right here. Ese = there (near you / not far). Aquel = way over there / out of reach.

Demonstrative Pronouns

When standing alone (no noun after them), demonstratives act as pronouns. The forms are the same:

• ¿Quieres este o ese? — Do you want this one or that one?
• No me gustan esos, prefiero aquellos. — I don't like those, I prefer those (over there).

Neuter Demonstratives

For abstract ideas or unidentified things, use the neuter forms (no accent, no gender):

These never modify a noun — they stand alone.

Possessive Adjectives (Short Form)

These go before the noun and are the most common possessive form:

Examples

• Mi casa es tu casa. — My house is your house.
• Nuestros amigos vienen mañana. — Our friends come tomorrow.
• Sus hijos son simpáticos. — Their children are nice.

Ambiguity with su/sus: Su casa could mean his, her, your, or their house. Clarify with la casa de él/ella/usted/ellos when needed.

Possessive Adjectives (Long Form)

These go after the noun and are used for emphasis or contrast:

Examples

• Un amigo mío vive en Madrid. — A friend of mine lives in Madrid.
• La idea fue tuya. — The idea was yours.
• Estas llaves son nuestras. — These keys are ours.

Possessive Pronouns

Use el/la/los/las + long form to replace a noun entirely:

• Mi carro es rojo. El tuyo es azul. — My car is red. Yours is blue.
• Nuestra casa es grande. La suya es pequeña. — Our house is big. Theirs is small.

Practice