Demonstrative Pronouns

Spanish demonstrative adjectives agree in number and gender with the modified noun. Let's review again:

• This (near)

  • este apartmento
  • esta casa

• These

  • estos apartmentos
  • estas casas

• That (near)

  • ese apartmento
  • esa casa

• Those

  • esos apartmentos
  • esas casas

• That (far -- over there)

  • aquel apartmento
  • aquella casa

• Those (far -- over there)

  • aquellos apartmentos
  • aquellas casas

Spanish uses aquel/aquella/aquellos/aquellas to show objects father away from other objects previously mentioned or to the persons spoken to:

• Esta casa es grande

  • This house is big

• Esa casa es más grande

  • That house is bigger

• Aquella casa es la más grande

  • That house (over there) is the biggest

Demonstrative constructions are usually accoumpanied by the following emphatic adverbs: aquí (here), allí (there), allá (over there).

• Voy a comprar ese apartmento que esta allí, aunque me gusta más aquel apartmento que está allá.
  • I am going to buy that apartment, although I like that one over there better.

In order to avoid repetition, we can replace the demonstrative adjective with a pronoun. These pronouns carry an accent mark to distinguish them from adjective forms:

• Esta casa es grande

  • This house is big

• Ésa es más grande.

  • That one is bigger

• Aquélla es la más grande.

  • That one (over there) is the biggest.

• ¿Cuál te gusta más? ¿Ésta, ésa o aquélla?

  • Which one do you like better? This one, that one or that one over there?

Esto, eso, and aquello also function as pronouns. However, they only refer to abstract concepts, ideas, or nonspecific objects. Notice that in their neuter forms these pronouns do not carry an accent mark and are only used in the singular form.

• Esto es muy importante

  • This is very important

• No repitas eso

  • Don't repeat that

• ¿Qué es aquello?

  • What is that over there?