Spanish 1000
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This / that / that over there

este · ese · aquel — three distances in Spain Spanish

In this guide6 sections
  1. Three distances
  2. Demonstrative adjectives — full table
  3. Demonstrative pronouns
  4. Neuter forms — esto, eso, aquello
  5. Practice 1 — 5 questions
  6. Practice 2 — 5 questions

Three distances

Spanish distinguishes three distances : near the speaker (este), near the listener (ese), and far from both (aquel). Demonstratives agree in gender and number with the noun they modify.

In Spain , vosotros forms appear in questions: ¿Qué tal estos zapatos? In Latin America, ustedes replaces vosotros but the demonstratives are the same.

  • Este libro es mío.This book is mine. (in my hand)
  • Ese bolígrafo, ¿me lo prestas?That pen, can you lend it to me? (near you)
  • Aquella montaña es el Teide.That mountain over there is Mount Teide.
  • Estos son vuestros asientos.These are your seats. (Spain)
  • No me gustan esas películas.I don't like those films.
  • ¿Habéis visto aquellos edificios?Have you all seen those buildings over there? (Spain)

Demonstrative adjectives — full table

DistanceMasc. sing.Fem. sing.Masc. pl.Fem. pl.
Near speaker (this/these)esteestaestosestas
Near listener (that/those)eseesaesosesas
Far from both (that over there)aquelaquellaaquellosaquellas
  • esta mesa · estas sillasthis table · these chairs
  • ese coche · esas floresthat car · those flowers
  • aquel día · aquella nochethat day (back then) · that night (distant)
  • Prefiero este café al otro.I prefer this coffee to the other one.
  • Esa chaqueta te queda bien.That jacket suits you well.
  • En aquellos tiempos no había internet.In those times there was no internet.

Demonstrative pronouns

The same forms stand alone as pronouns when the noun is clear from context:

¿Cuánto cuestan estos? — These (ones), how much do they cost?
Ese es de mi hermano. — That one is my brother's.

Plural pronouns keep the gender marker: estos/estas , esos/esas , aquellos/aquellas .

  • ¿Cuál prefieres, este o ese?Which do you prefer, this one or that one?
  • Estos son los míos; esos son vuestros.These are mine; those are yours. (Spain)
  • Aquella fue la mejor decisión.That was the best decision.
  • No quiero esas; quiero estas.I don't want those; I want these.
  • ¿Quiénes son aquellos?Who are those people over there?
  • Esta es mi calle; aquella es la tuya.This is my street; that one over there is yours.

Neuter forms — esto, eso, aquello

When you refer to an idea , situation , or something unknown/abstract (not a specific masculine or feminine noun), use the neuter forms:

esto — this (thing/situation)
eso — that (thing/situation)
aquello — that over there (thing/situation)

Neuter forms never change — no plural, no gender agreement.

  • ¿Qué es esto?What is this?
  • Esto es muy importante.This is very important.
  • ¿Has visto eso? — ¡No me lo creo!Have you seen that? — I can't believe it!
  • Eso es lo que pienso.That is what I think.
  • Aquello de ayer fue un desastre.That business yesterday was a disaster.
  • No entiendo esto. ¿Me lo explicas?I don't understand this. Can you explain it to me?

Practice 1 — 5 questions

this book (near me) →

that car (near you) →

that mountain over there →

What is this? (unknown thing) →

those shoes (near you, fem. pl.) →

Practice 2 — 5 questions

These are mine. →

That (situation) is not true. →

those buildings over there (masc. pl.) →

this table →

That over there was a mistake. (abstract) →