Demonstratives in Spanish (This, That, These, Those)

Learn how to point out and specify people, places, and things in Spanish - essential for shopping, directions, and descriptions!

What Are Demonstratives?

Demonstratives point out specific people, things, or places:

English: This book, that car, these shoes, those houses Spanish: Este libro, ese coche, estos zapatos, esas casas

Uses:

• Pointing out objects
• Distinguishing between items
• Indicating location relative to you
• Specifying which one you mean

Three Distances in Spanish

Spanish has THREE levels of distance (English has two):

ESTE = This/These (near speaker)

• Close to ME

ESE = That/Those (near listener)

• Close to YOU

AQUEL = That/Those (far from both)

• Far from both of us

Visual:

ME → [ESTE] ... YOU → [ESE] ... [AQUEL] far away

ESTE / ESTA / ESTOS / ESTAS (This / These)

Near the Speaker

Use for things CLOSE to you:

Usage Examples

ESTE (this - masculine)

• Este libro es interesante (This book is interesting)
• Este coche es mío (This car is mine)
• Este restaurante es bueno (This restaurant is good)

ESTA (this - feminine)

• Esta casa es bonita (This house is pretty)
• Esta película es aburrida (This movie is boring)
• Esta manzana está rica (This apple is delicious)

ESTOS (these - masculine plural)

• Estos libros son míos (These books are mine)
• Estos zapatos son caros (These shoes are expensive)

ESTAS (these - feminine plural)

• Estas casas son grandes (These houses are big)
• Estas flores son bonitas (These flowers are pretty)

ESE / ESA / ESOS / ESAS (That / Those)

Near the Listener

Use for things CLOSE to the person you're talking to:

Usage Examples

ESE (that - masculine)

• Ese libro es tuyo (That book is yours)
• Ese coche es rápido (That car is fast)
• ¿Cuánto cuesta ese reloj? (How much does that watch cost?)

ESA (that - feminine)

• Esa casa es de María (That house is María's)
• Esa camisa te queda bien (That shirt looks good on you)
• Esa película es buena (That movie is good)

ESOS (those - masculine plural)

• Esos libros son interesantes (Those books are interesting)
• ¿De quién son esos zapatos? (Whose shoes are those?)

ESAS (those - feminine plural)

• Esas flores son hermosas (Those flowers are beautiful)
• Esas chicas son mis amigas (Those girls are my friends)

AQUEL / AQUELLA / AQUELLOS / AQUELLAS (That / Those - Far Away)

Far from Both Speaker and Listener

Use for things FAR from both of you:

Usage Examples

AQUEL (that over there - masculine)

• Aquel edificio es muy alto (That building over there is very tall)
• Aquel coche allí es de mi padre (That car over there is my father's)
• Vivo en aquel edificio (I live in that building over there)

AQUELLA (that over there - feminine)

• Aquella montaña es hermosa (That mountain over there is beautiful)
• Aquella casa es muy vieja (That house over there is very old)

AQUELLOS (those over there - masculine plural)

• Aquellos árboles son grandes (Those trees over there are big)
• Aquellos hombres son mis tíos (Those men over there are my uncles)

AQUELLAS (those over there - feminine plural)

• Aquellas casas son caras (Those houses over there are expensive)
• Aquellas montañas son altas (Those mountains over there are tall)

Demonstrative Pronouns

When They Replace Nouns

Demonstratives can be used alone (without a noun):

As adjectives (with noun):

• Este libro (this book)
• Esa casa (that house)

As pronouns (replacing noun):

• Este es interesante (This one is interesting)
• Esa es bonita (That one is pretty)

All Forms as Pronouns

Near (ESTE):

• Este es mío (This one is mine - masc.)
• Esta es mía (This one is mine - fem.)
• Estos son míos (These ones are mine - masc.)
• Estas son mías (These ones are mine - fem.)

Medium (ESE):

• Ese es tuyo (That one is yours - masc.)
• Esa es tuya (That one is yours - fem.)
• Esos son tuyos (Those ones are yours - masc.)
• Esas son tuyas (Those ones are yours - fem.)

Far (AQUEL):

• Aquel es mejor (That one over there is better - masc.)
• Aquella es peor (That one over there is worse - fem.)
• Aquellos son caros (Those ones over there are expensive - masc.)
• Aquellas son baratas (Those ones over there are cheap - fem.)

Neutral Demonstrative Pronouns

ESTO / ESO / AQUELLO

These refer to abstract ideas or unidentified things (NO gender, NO plural):

ESTO (this - near)

• ¿Qué es esto? (What is this?)
• Esto es interesante (This is interesting)
• Esto no me gusta (I don't like this)

ESO (that - medium)

• ¿Qué es eso? (What is that?)
• Eso es verdad (That's true)
• Eso es imposible (That's impossible)

AQUELLO (that - far)

• ¿Qué es aquello? (What is that over there?)
• Aquello fue terrible (That was terrible)

Use when:

• You don't know what something is
• Referring to a situation or idea
• Pointing at something without naming it

Common Expressions with Demonstratives

Shopping Phrases

Pointing Out

Asking Questions

Demonstratives vs. Location Words

Don't Confuse Them!

Demonstratives (point out nouns):

• Este libro (this book)
• Esa casa (that house)

Location words (adverbs - where):

• Aquí (here)
• Ahí (there)
• Allí/Allá (over there)

Combining them:

• Este libro aquí (This book here)
• Ese coche ahí (That car there)
• Aquel edificio allí (That building over there)

Practice Dialogues

Dialogue 1: At a Store

Cliente: Hola, quiero ver estos zapatos. Vendedor: ¿Estos de aquí? Cliente: No, esos de ahí. Vendedor: Ah, estos negros. ¿Qué talla? Cliente: El 42, por favor. Vendedor: Aquí tiene. Pruébese estos. Cliente: Estos me quedan bien. Me los llevo.

Translation: Customer: Hello, I want to see these shoes. Seller: These ones here? Customer: No, those ones there. Seller: Ah, these black ones. What size? Customer: Size 42, please. Seller: Here you are. Try these on. Customer: These fit me well. I'll take them.

Dialogue 2: Comparing Options

A: ¿Cuál te gusta más, esta camisa o esa? B: Me gusta más esa azul. A: ¿Y qué piensas de aquella roja? B: Aquella está bien, pero prefiero esta blanca. A: Yo prefiero esa azul también. B: Vale, entonces llevo esa.

Translation: A: Which do you like more, this shirt or that one? B: I like that blue one more. A: And what do you think of that red one over there? B: That one is okay, but I prefer this white one. A: I prefer that blue one too. B: Okay, then I'll take that one.

Dialogue 3: Asking About Things

A: ¿Qué es esto? B: Eso es un diccionario. A: ¿Y eso de ahí? B: Ese es mi teléfono. A: ¿Y aquello? B: Aquello es una lámpara antigua. A: Ah, entiendo. Gracias.

Translation: A: What is this? B: That's a dictionary. A: And that there? B: That's my phone. A: And that over there? B: That's an antique lamp. A: Ah, I understand. Thanks.

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Choose ESTE, ESE, or AQUEL

1. ___ libro (this book - near me, masc.)
2. ___ casa (that house - near you, fem.)
3. ___ montañas (those mountains - far away, fem. pl.)
4. ___ zapatos (these shoes - near me, masc. pl.)

Answers:

1. Este libro
2. Esa casa
3. Aquellas montañas
4. Estos zapatos

Exercise 2: Match Gender and Number

1. ___ camisa (this shirt - fem. sing.)
2. ___ coches (those cars - near you, masc. pl.)
3. ___ edificio (that building - far away, masc. sing.)
4. ___ flores (these flowers - fem. pl.)

Answers:

1. Esta camisa
2. Esos coches
3. Aquel edificio
4. Estas flores

Exercise 3: Use as Pronouns

1. ¿Cuál prefieres? → Prefiero ___ (that one - masc.)
2. ¿Son tuyos? → Sí, ___ son míos (these ones - masc. pl.)
3. ¿Qué es? → ___ es un libro (this - neutral)
4. ¿Te gusta? → Sí, ___ me gusta (this one - fem.)

Answers:

1. Prefiero ese
2. Sí, estos son míos
3. Esto es un libro
4. Sí, esta me gusta

Exercise 4: Translate to Spanish

1. This book (masculine)
2. Those houses (near you, feminine)
3. That car over there (masculine)
4. These shoes (masculine)
5. What is this? (neutral)

Answers:

1. Este libro
2. Esas casas
3. Aquel coche
4. Estos zapatos
5. ¿Qué es esto?

Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Mistake 1: Not Matching Gender

Wrong: ❌ Este casa Right: ✅ Esta casa (This house - feminine)

Wrong: ❌ Esa libro Right: ✅ Ese libro (That book - masculine)

Always match the gender of the noun!

❌ Mistake 2: Not Matching Number

Wrong: ❌ Este libros Right: ✅ Estos libros (These books - plural)

Wrong: ❌ Esas casa Right: ✅ Esa casa (That house - singular)

Match singular/plural!

❌ Mistake 3: Using ESTO/ESO/AQUELLO with Nouns

Wrong: ❌ Esto libro Right: ✅ Este libro (This book)

Esto/Eso/Aquello are ONLY used alone (no noun)!

• Esto es un libro (This is a book) ✅
• Este libro (This book) ✅

❌ Mistake 4: Confusing Distance Levels

Wrong context: Pointing at something near you: ❌ Ese libro Right: ✅ Este libro (This book - near ME)

Use ESTE for things close to YOU!

Quick Reference Chart

All Demonstrative Forms

Distance Guide

With Location Words

Your Action Plan

Week 1: ESTE Forms

• Master este, esta, estos, estas
• Practice pointing at things near you
• Use with everyday objects

Week 2: ESE Forms

• Learn ese, esa, esos, esas
• Distinguish between ESTE and ESE
• Practice in conversations

Week 3: AQUEL Forms

• Add aquel, aquella, aquellos, aquellas
• Practice three distances
• Point out far objects

Week 4: Pronouns and Neutral Forms

• Use demonstratives without nouns
• Master esto, eso, aquello
• Make it automatic

Pro Tip: Walk around your house pointing at things and using demonstratives: "Este libro," "Esa silla," "Aquel cuadro." This builds automatic usage!

Practice: When shopping or looking at options, always use demonstratives: "Quiero este," "Prefiero ese," "Me gusta aquel."

Memory Trick:

• ESTE = sounds like "esTEA" (near ME, I drink tea!)
• ESE = sounds like "essay" (give it to you, you write essay!)
• AQUEL = longer word = farther distance!
• -O ending = neutral (esto, eso, aquello) = no gender, used alone

Remember: Demonstratives are essential for pointing out and specifying exactly what you mean! Start with ESTE and ESE (most common), then add AQUEL. Practice with real objects to make it natural!