14. Este, ese, aquel

I will teach you in the easier way the difference and how to use “Demonstrative adjectives in Spanish”, those are: ese, esa, esto, aquel, esas, aquellas, etc.

First of all, in English you have only 4 words: this, these and that, those. In Spanish, we can translate those 4 words into 15 words. Crazy, right?

This happens because in Spanish, we always have the famine singular and plural form, plus the masculine singular and plural form, so from one word we can have 4 forms. In this case, we also have 3 extra words that work as neutral words. We will talk about them one by one and after this episode, you will understand this a hundred percent. I promise.

The key to master all this bunch of words, is to know the gender of the noun you are using in your sentence. So if you are talking about 4 chairs, you will have to use the feminine and plural form, examples: las sillas (the chairs), can be: estas sillas, esas sillas. So, these or those chairs. If you are talking about a painting, el cuadro is a masculine noun, so you would have to say: el cuadro, este cuadro, ese cuadro, meaning: the painting, that painting, this painting… in masculine and singular.

This and these are used in present or near future situations if we think about time. If we need to speak about distances, this and these are used when something is closed to you, the speaker. So, if you tell me: este es mi teléfono, this is my phone. It has to be, next to you or in your hand.

SUMMARY

1. This, these: near the speaker, present or near future.

2. That, those: far from the speaker, past.

3. That, those* (extra in Spanish): over there, very far in distance or time, past.

Let’s start with the first bundle of words: THIS / singular

The formula is: Este + masculine noun / Esta + a feminine noun - in singular.

”This” in Spanish can be: este and esta. For example:

1. Quiero este vestido: I want this dress (dress is a masculine noun)

2. Quiero esta camisa: I want this shirt (shirt is a feminine noun)

3. Este fin de semana, iré a correr: This weekend, I will go for a run (weekend is a masculine noun)

4. Esta semana, iré a correr: This week, I will go for a run (week is a feminine noun)

Let’s learn the next bundle of words: THESE / plural

The formula is: Estos + masculine noun / Estas + a feminine noun - in plural.

”These” in Spanish can be: estos and estas. For example:

1. Quiero estos zapatos: I want these shoes (shoes is a masculine noun).

2. Quiero estas botas: I want these boots (boots is a feminine noun)

3. Estos días, estaré muy ocupada: These days, I will be very busy. (Days is a masculine noun, plural in this example)

4. Estas semanas, estaré muy ocupada: These weeks, I will be very busy. (Weeks is a feminine noun, plural in this example)

So far, we learnt 8 forms. We have one extra, which is a neutral form. In this case, we don’t talk about any specific noun, that is why we don’t use the words depending on the gender.

This in its neutral form is: ESTO. Yes, “esto” ending in “o”, this is not a masculine word, it is a neutral word. Alright?

When you say:

1. ¿Qué es esto?: What is this?

2. ¿Por qué quieres esto?: Why do you want this?

3. ¿Puedes ver esto?: Can you see this?

Notice, that we don’t have any noun in these examples. That is why we use “esto”. ONLY use “esto” when you are not mentioning any noun.

Alright, let’s continue with the next bundle of words. First, we will talk about “that” and after, “those”.

First, THAT in Spanish, in singular

The formula is: Ese + masculine noun / Esa + a feminine noun - in singular.

”That” in Spanish can be: ese and esa. For example:

1. Me gusta ese restaurante: I like that restaurant. (restaurant is a masculine noun)

2. Me gusta esa cafetería: I like that coffee shop. (coffee shop is a feminine noun)

3. Ese día fuimos a cenar y después a ver una película: That day we went for dinner and after to watch a movie. (Day is a masculine noun, so ese + día).

4. Esa semana no fui al gimnasio porque estaba enferma: that week I didn’t go to the gym because I was sick. (Week is a feminine noun, so esa + semana - we use esa because we are talking about past).

5. This is an extra example, maybe you have been saying this phrase wrong “That’s a good question”, in Spanish you have to say: “Esa es una buena pregunta”. It has to be feminine “esa” because pregunta is a feminine noun. So everything in the sentence matches, esa - una- buena - pregunta are all feminine words in the sentence, only the verb has not genders.

Now, the neutral form for “that” is “eso”. Yes, “eso” ending in “o”, this is not a masculine word, it is a neutral word. Alright?

When you say:

1. ¿Qué es eso?: What is that?

2. ¿Por qué sigues hablando de eso?: Why do you keep talking about it/ that?

3. ¿Dónde compraste eso?: Where did you buy that?

If you think about it, we are not talking about any specific noun, that is why we use the neutral form.

Now, let’s do the plural forms: THOSE in Spanish.

The formula is: Esos + masculine plural noun / Esas + a feminine plural noun.

Those in Spanish can be: esos and esas. For example:

1. Esas chicas de la foto son mis amigas: those girls on the picture are my friends. (chicas is a feminine and plural noun)

2. Esos niños son amigos de mis hijos: those kids are my children’s friends. (Niños is a group of boys or children, so we use it as a masculine noun)

3. No me gustan esas sandalias: I don’t like those sandals (sandalias is a feminine noun)

4. No me gustan esos anteojos: I don’t like those glasses (anteojos is a masculine noun)

Alright, let’s learn the next bundle of words. Not everybody know the meaning of words like: aquel y aquellos. Also mean: “that” in English.

Let’s start with the singular forms: aquel y aquella (that over there)

The formula is: Aquel + masculine noun / Aquella + a feminine noun - in singular.

Just so you know, when you use these words, you are expressing “that and those” in like a more distant way in time when talking about something that happened in the past or physical distance, something that is far from us, very far from the speaker, almost like pointing with your finger.

Examples:

1. ¿Recuerdas aquel día que vimos a mi hermano en la fiesta?: Do you remember that day when we saw my brother at the party? (día is a masculine noun)

2. ¿Recuerdas aquella chica que conocimos en la fiesta? Do you remember that girl that we met in the party? (chica is a feminine noun)

3. Mi papá es aquel que está allá con camisa azul y sombrero: My dad is the one over there with the blue shirt and hat. (Papá is a masculine noun)

4. Mi mamá es aquella que está poniendo las flores en la mesa: My mum is the one who is putting the flowers on the table

Let’s do the plural forms, aquellos y aquellas (those over there)

The formula is: Aquellos + masculine plural noun / Aquellas + a feminine plural noun.

Examples:

1. Aquellos tamales que comimos en la casa de tu abuela son mis favoritos: Those tamales we ate at your grandmother's house are my favourites. (tamal is a masculine noun)

2. Aquellas tortillas que hizo tu mamá el otro día, son mis favoritas: Those tortillas your mum made the other day are my favourites.

3. ¿Recuerdas aquellas vacaciones en San Juan, cuando teníamos como 12 años?: Do you remember those vacations in San Juan, when we were about 12 years old? (vacaciones is feminine)

4. ¿Recuerdas aquellos zapatos rojos de charol que vimos la semana pasada?, ya me los compré: Remember those red patent leather shoes we saw last week? I already bought them. (zapatos is masculine and plural)

Now, the neutral form for the far away “that” is “aquello”. Yes, “aquello” ending in “o”, AGAIN this is not a masculine word, it is a neutral word. Alright?

When you say:

1. ¿Qué es aquello?: What is that (over there)?

2. ¿Quieres ver aquello?: Do you want to go to see that (over there)?

3. Aquello parece un gato pero es un juguete: That over there looks like a cat but it is a toy.

Alright, we finished studying all the demonstrative words in Spanish. In a summary, you always have to match in gender and number with the object of your sentence. It is also important to consider how far the object is from the speaker.

1. Este, esta, estos, estas, esto: close to the speaker, time in present of near future.

2. Ese, esa, esos, esas, eso: far from the speaker, time in past.

3. Aquel, aquella, aquellos, aquellas, aquel: very far from the speaker, memories or very far away past events.

   PLUS: match in gender and number.

I hope this lesson has helped you, muchas gracias for listening to me.

Chaito, Meli x