Spanish: Demonstrative Pronouns
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Adjectively used
When used adjectively, like in "this man", "that book" the demonstrative adjectives act like any adjective by agreeing in gender and number with the noun they go with.
English demonstrative pronouns/adjectives come in two categories: close (this/these) and far (that/those). In spanish there are three categories: close (este), far (ese), very far (aquel). The difference between "far" and "very far" is that the latter case is about something that is far from both speaker and listener, it is less common in usage than the "far" equivalent. We will translate this category with "over there":
The following forms can be used:
- close, masculine, singular: this - este
- close, feminine, singular: this - esta
- close, masculine, plural: these - estos
- close, feminine, plural: these - estas
- far, masculine, singular: that - ese
- far, feminine, singular: that - esa
- far, masculine, plural: those - esos
- far, feminine, plural: those - esas
- very far, masculine, singular: that over there - aquel
- very far, feminine, singular: that over there - aquella
- very far, masculine, plural: those overe there - aquellos
- very far, feminine, plural: those over there - aquellas
Examples:
- este libro = this book
- ese libro = that book
- aquellas casas = those houses [over there]
Used independently
When used independently, as in "This is my book" and "I see that", the following forms are used, there is a "neuter" gender (in singular only) which is very often used, usually when gender is not known in advance:
- close, masculine, singular: this - éste
- close, feminine, singular: this - ésta
- close, neuter/unknown, singular: this - esto
- close, masculine, plural: these - éstos
- close, feminine, plural: these - éstas
- far, masculine, singular: that - ése
- far, feminine, singular: that - ésa
- far, neuter/unknown, singular: that - eso
- far, masculine, plural: those - ésos
- far, feminine, plural: those - ésas
- very far, masculine, singular: that over there - áquel
- very far, feminine, singular: that over there - áquella
- very far, neuter/unknown, singular: that - aquello
- very far, masculine, plural: those overe there - áquellos
- very far, feminine, plural: those over there - áquellas
Examples:
- Éste es mi libro = this is my book
- Ése es mi libro = that is my book
- Ã?quellas son mis casas = those [over there] are my houses
- No hablo sobre este libro, hablo sobre éste = I don't speak about this book, I speak about this one
- Hablo sobre ésto = I speak about this
