This and that

Three distances

Spanish points to things at three distances, each with its own word:

• este — near me, the speaker: este libro
• ese — near you, the listener, or not far: ese libro
• aquel — far from both of us: aquel libro

Many languages have only two words here (“this” and “that”). Think of ese as “that one by you” and aquel as “that one over there”.

Agreement with the noun

Like an article, a demonstrative agrees with its noun in gender and number: este museo, esta plaza, estos museos, estas plazas.

The masculine singular has no -o: este, ese, aquel. Feminine aquella has a double l.

No article after a demonstrative: este cine, not este el cine.

Here, there, over there

Each demonstrative has a matching word of place. Spanish often adds it with de to make the distance clear:

• aquí (here): esta mesa de aquí
• ahí (there, near you): esa mesa de ahí
• allí / allá (over there): aquella mesa de allí

¿Dónde está mi libro? — Ahí, al lado de tu mochila.

esto, eso, aquello

esto, eso and aquello stand alone, never before a noun. Use them for a thing you don't name or don't know yet, or for an idea:

• ¿Qué es esto? — What is this?
• ¿Qué es eso de ahí? — What is that there?
• ¿Qué es aquello? — What is that over there?
• Eso es. — That's right.

They have no feminine and no plural forms.

Without the noun

When it is clear what you mean, the demonstrative can stand without its noun and keeps the noun's gender and number:

• ¿Qué cafetería? — Esa.
• ¿Es tu casa? — No, mi casa es aquella.

To introduce people, say este / esta, not esto: Este es mi hermano. Esta es mi amiga Ana.