🇪🇸 Spanish Grammar · A2 Level
Este, Ese, Aquel
Los Demostrativos
Los Demostrativos
Demonstrative Adjectives & Pronouns — Pointing Things Out in Spanish
📍 A2 Level
3 Distance Groups
Adj. + Pronouns
Neuter Forms
5 Exercises
Demostrativos are words like “this,” “that,” and “that over there” — they point to people, things or ideas based on distance from the speaker. Spanish has three distance levels (English only has two!), and each one changes form to agree in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural). They can work as adjectives (before a noun) or as pronouns (replacing a noun).
📏 The Three Distance Levels
🧍
ESTE / ESTA
This (one)
Near the speaker
HERE — aquí
→
🧍 🧍
ESE / ESA
That (one)
Near the listener
THERE — ahí
→
🧍 🏠
AQUEL / AQUELLA
That (one) over there
Far from both
OVER THERE — allí / allá
Speaker (yo)
Listener (tú)
Far away (él/ella/cosa)
📋 All the Forms — Full Table
Must memorise
| Distance | Masc. Singular | Fem. Singular | Masc. Plural | Fem. Plural | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESTE THIS — near speaker |
este m.sg | esta f.sg | estos m.pl | estas f.pl | Este libro es mío. Esta silla es nueva. |
| ESE THAT — near listener |
ese m.sg | esa f.sg | esos m.pl | esas f.pl | Ese chico es simpático. Esa mochila es tuya. |
| AQUEL THAT — far from both |
aquel m.sg | aquella f.sg | aquellos m.pl | aquellas f.pl | Aquel edificio es antiguo. Aquellas flores son bonitas. |
🎯 Adjective vs Pronoun Use
Key concept
📌 As an Adjective
Comes before the noun. Agrees with it in gender & number. Noun is mentioned.
Este libro es interesante.
This book is interesting. (libro = masc.sg → este)
Esas chicas son mis amigas.
Those girls are my friends. (chicas = fem.pl → esas)
Aquellos árboles son muy altos.
Those trees over there are very tall.
🔄 As a Pronoun
Replaces the noun. Same forms — noun is NOT repeated. Avoids repetition!
¿Qué libro quieres? — Este.
Which book do you want? — This one. (replaces “libro”)
Mi bolso es bonito, pero ese es más barato.
My bag is nice, but that one is cheaper.
Me gustan las flores, pero prefiero aquellas.
I like the flowers, but I prefer those over there.
💡 Historically, pronouns had accent marks (éste, ése…) but the RAE removed them in 2010. Both spellings may appear in older texts.
💬 Common Expressions with ESTE
Este fin de semana voy al cine.
This weekend I’m going to the cinema.
¿Conoces a esta chica?
Do you know this girl?
Estos zapatos me duelen.
These shoes hurt me.
🌅 AQUEL — Extra nuance
AQUEL is also used for things distant in time (not just space).
Aquel verano fue increíble.
That summer (back then) was incredible.
En aquella época todo era diferente.
In those days / that era, everything was different.
💡 Think of AQUEL as “that one — way over there” in space OR in the past.
⚡ The Neuter Forms — esto, eso, aquello
When referring to an unknown thing, idea or situation — not a specific gendered noun — use the neuter forms. They never change form and are always pronouns (never adjectives before a noun).
esto
this (thing/idea)
¿Qué es esto?
“What is this?”
“What is this?”
Esto es difícil.
“This is difficult.”
“This is difficult.”
eso
that (thing/idea)
Eso no es verdad.
“That is not true.”
“That is not true.”
¿Qué significa eso?
“What does that mean?”
“What does that mean?”
aquello
that over there / back then
Aquello fue un desastre.
“That (back then) was a disaster.”
“That (back then) was a disaster.”
¿Recuerdas aquello?
“Do you remember that?”
“Do you remember that?”
⚡ Quick Reference — All Forms at a Glance
estem.sg this
estaf.sg this
estosm.pl these
estasf.pl these
estoneuter this
esem.sg that
esaf.sg that
esosm.pl those
esasf.pl those
esoneuter that
aquelm.sg that yonder
aquellaf.sg
aquellosm.pl
aquellasf.pl
aquelloneuter
✏️ ¡Practica! Exercises
1
Choose the correct demonstrative form from the dropdown.Think about distance, gender and number!
a)
libro (this book — near me, masculine singular)
b)
chicas (those girls — near you, feminine plural)
c)
montaña (that mountain over there, feminine singular)
d)
zapatos (these shoes — near me, masculine plural)
e)
edificios (those buildings over there, masculine plural)
f)
is strange. (That is strange — neuter, unknown thing)
2
Fill in the blank with the correct form.a) ¿Te gusta camisa? (this shirt — f.sg, near me)
b) flores son muy bonitas. (those flowers way over there — f.pl)
c) — ¿Qué es ? — No sé. (What is this? — neuter)
d) chico es mi hermano. (that boy — near you, m.sg)
e) No me gustan colores. (those colours — near you, m.pl)
3
Multiple choice — pick the right answer.👉 You’re pointing to a bag close to your friend. Which do you use?
👉 “_____ días fueron muy felices.” (Those days back then were very happy.)
👉 Which sentence uses the demonstrative as a PRONOUN (not adjective)?
👉 “No entiendo _____.” (I don’t understand this — unknown concept.)
4
Tap the words in the correct order to build the sentence.Build: “Aquellas montañas son muy altas.”
muy
montañas
son
Aquellas
altas.
Tap words above · click here to remove last
5
Translate into Spanish.a) “This restaurant is very good.”
b) “Those (near you) shoes are very expensive.”
c) “What is that?” (unknown thing — neuter)
d) “That era was very difficult.” (distant in time)