Demonstrative Adjectives and Pronouns - Adjetivos y Pronombres Demostrativos
Demonstrative Adjectives and Pronouns (Adjetivos y Pronombres Demostrativos) (English)
This lesson includes
information on:
- Demonstrative Adjectives
- Demonstrative Pronouns
- Related Vocabulary
1. Demonstrative Adjectives (Adjetivos Demostrativos) - In Spanish, one uses “this/these” (este/estos/estas/esta) when things are close to the person speaking. “That/those” (ese/esos/esa/esas) are used when things are close to the person who is listening. “That/Those over there” (Aquel/aquellos/aquella/aquellas) are used when things are far from both people.
| Spanish | English |
| Este/a | This |
| Estos/as | These |
| Ese/a | That |
| Esos/as | Those |
| Aquel/aquella | That (over there) |
| Aquellos/as | Those (over there) |
| Esta silla es comfortable. | This chair is comfortable. |
| Esa planta es bonita. |
That plant is beautiful. |
| Aquel hotel es nuevo. |
That (over there) hotel is new. |
2. Demonstrative Pronouns (Pronombres Demostrativos) - When the Demonstrative Adjective is used as a pronoun it is referred to as a Demonstrative Pronoun. Demonstrative Pronouns are spelled the same but include an accent to indicate the difference.
Demonstrative Pronouns are masculine or femine depending on the noun they are modifying. If the noun is neutral (neither masculine or femine) then the Demonstrative Pronoun ends in "o" (e.g., ésto, éso, aquéllo).
Demonstrative Pronouns are also used to indicate former (forms of aquél) and latter (forms of ésto and éso).
| Spanish | English |
| Éste/a/o | This one |
| Ése/a/o | That one |
| Aquél/aquélla/aquéllo | That one (over there) |
| Éstos/as | These ones |
| Ésos/as | Those ones |
| Aquéllos/aquéllas | Those ones (over there) |
| Esta silla es comfortable y ésto es tambien. | This chair is comfortable and that one is too. |
| Esa planta es bonita y ésa es tambien. | That plant is beautiful and that one is too. |
| Aquel hotel es nuevo y aquél es viejo . | That (over there) hotel is new and that one (over there) is old. |
| Yo prefiero aquél y ella prefiera éso. | I prefer the former and she
prefers the latter. |
3. Related Vocabulary
| Spanish | English |
| Adjetivos Demostrativos | Demonstrative Adjectives |
| Este/a | This |
| Estos/as | These |
| Ese/a | That |
| Esos/as | Those |
| Aquel/aquella | That (over there) |
| Aquellos/as | Those (over there) |
| Esta silla es comfortable. | This chair is comfortable. |
| Esa planta es bonita. |
That plant is beautiful. |
| Aquel hotel es nuevo. |
That (over there) hotel is new. |
| Pronombres demostrativos | Demonstrative Pronouns |
| Éste/a/o | This one |
| Ése/a/o | That one |
| Aquél/aquélla/aquéllo | That one (over there) |
| Éstos/as | These ones |
| Ésos/as | Those ones |
| Aquéllos/aquéllas | Those ones (over there) |
| Esta silla es comfortable y ésto es tambien. | This chair is comfortable and that one is too. |
| Esa planta es bonita y ésa es tambien. | That plant is beautiful and that one is too. |
| Aquel hotel es nuevo y aquél es viejo . | That (over there) hotel es new and that one (over there) is old. |
| Yo prefiero aquél y ella prefiera éso. | I prefer the former and she
prefers the latter. |