What are demonstratives in Spanish?
Demonstratives point to people or things and show how far away they are from the speaker. English has two levels: “this/these” (near) and “that/those” (far). Spanish has three levels:
| Distance | Singular masculine | Singular feminine | Plural masculine | Plural feminine | Typical adverb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Near the speaker | este | esta | estos | estas | aquí (here) |
| Near the listener, or medium distance | ese | esa | esos | esas | ahí (there) |
| Far from both | aquel | aquella | aquellos | aquellas | allí, allá (over there) |
The same set of forms works as adjectives (with a noun) and as pronouns (in place of a noun). The only difference is how they are used.
Demonstrative adjectives
A demonstrative adjective comes before a noun and agrees with it in gender and number.
- Este libro es interesante. (This book is interesting.)
- Esa casa es grande. (That house is big.)
- Aquellos árboles son altos. (Those trees over there are tall.)
- Estas flores huelen bien. (These flowers smell good.)
How many demonstrative adjectives are there?
There are 12 forms, from three distance levels times four combinations of gender and number: este, esta, estos, estas, ese, esa, esos, esas, aquel, aquella, aquellos, aquellas.
Agreement and articles
- The demonstrative replaces the article. You say este libro, not el este libro.
- The demonstrative must match the gender and number of the noun, not of the speaker.
- With feminine nouns that start with a stressed a, such as agua, the article is el (el agua), but the demonstrative stays feminine: esta agua, esa águila.
Demonstrative pronouns
A demonstrative pronoun replaces the noun, so there is no noun after it. It still agrees with the noun it replaces.
- Este libro es bueno, pero ese es mejor. (This book is good, but that one is better.)
- Me gustan esas camisas, pero prefiero estas. (I like those shirts, but I prefer these.)
- ¿Quieres aquel o este? (Do you want that one over there or this one?)
In English you often add “one” or “ones” (“this one”). Spanish does not, because the pronoun itself stands for the noun.
How many demonstrative pronouns are there?
The forms are the same 12 as the adjectives, plus three neuter forms: esto, eso, aquello. When learners ask about “the 12 pronouns” in this context, they usually mean these twelve forms. (Personal pronouns such as yo, tú, él are a separate list.)
Neuter demonstratives
The neuter forms refer to things that are unknown, unnamed, or to a whole idea or situation, not to a specific noun with gender. They are never used as adjectives.
| Form | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| esto | this (near me) | ¿Qué es esto? (What is this?) |
| eso | that (near you, or already mentioned) | Eso es verdad. (That is true.) |
| aquello | that (far away, or remote in time) | Aquello fue hace años. (That was years ago.) |
Common phrases: ¡Eso es! (That’s it!), Por eso (That is why), Esto es todo (That is all).
How to tell the difference between adjectives and pronouns
Look at what comes after the word.
| If you see… | It is a… | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a noun right after it | adjective | Este coche es rápido. |
| no noun, and it stands alone | pronoun | Este es rápido. |
A quick test: remove the demonstrative. If the sentence still has a noun that carries the meaning, the demonstrative was an adjective. If the sentence loses its subject or object, it was a pronoun.
The accent question
You may see demonstrative pronouns written with an accent (éste, ése, aquél) in older books and textbooks. For many years, the accent was used to separate pronouns from adjectives. Current Real Academia Española (RAE) guidance, from the 2010 spelling update, is that they should be written without the accent, even when they could be ambiguous. Neuter forms (esto, eso, aquello) never had an accent.
If you take an exam or read a particular textbook, check which convention your course follows. For your own writing, no accent is the modern standard.
When to use aquel vs ese
Both mean “that,” but they differ in distance.
- Ese is for things near the listener or at a medium distance: Dame ese libro. (Give me that book, the one near you.)
- Aquel is for things far from both people, or for remote times and places: Aquella montaña es muy alta. (That mountain over there is very high.)
- Aquel also suggests remoteness in time: En aquellos tiempos no había teléfonos. (In those days there were no phones.)
Another use of ese/esa is to refer to something just mentioned in the conversation: Ese problema es serio. (That problem is serious.) In some contexts ese can sound dismissive about a person (ese tipo, “that guy”), so be careful with tone.
In everyday speech, aquel is used less often than ese, and speakers sometimes use ese for things that a textbook would call aquel. Usage varies by region and speaker.
Time references
Demonstratives can also refer to time:
- esta noche (tonight), este año (this year), esta semana (this week)
- en ese momento (at that moment)
- aquella vez (that time long ago)
Common mistakes
- Using the wrong gender: este casa should be esta casa.
- Adding an extra article: la esta casa is wrong.
- Putting the demonstrative after the noun in neutral use (libro este). This can appear in speech with a dismissive tone, but beginners should keep the adjective before the noun.
- Using neuter forms with nouns: eso libro is wrong; use ese libro.
- Confusing este with the verb esté. Esté (with an accent) is a form of estar, as in Espero que esté bien.
Quick practice
Choose the correct word.
- ___ libros (near me) son míos. (Estos / Esos)
- ___ casa (far away) es muy vieja. (Esa / Aquella)
- No me gusta ___. (an unspecified thing; eso / ese)
- Quiero este coche, no ___. (that one near you; ese / eso)
Answers: 1. Estos, 2. Aquella, 3. eso, 4. ese.
Demonstratives also appear in everyday phrases with other grammar points, such as the verb forms in our guide to gustar: Me gusta esto and Me gustan estos.
FAQ
What is the difference between demonstrative adjectives and pronouns? Adjectives come before a noun (este libro). Pronouns replace the noun (este).
Do demonstrative pronouns need an accent? Not according to current RAE guidance. Older materials still use one.
What are the neuter demonstratives? Esto, eso, aquello. They point to ideas, situations or unknown things.