Demonstratives in Spanish

Learn how to use demonstratives in Spanish (este, ese, aquel) with simple examples! Perfect for beginners (A1 level). Master "this," "that," "these," and "those" in Spanish.

If you're learning Spanish, mastering demonstrative adjectives and pronouns (like "this," "that," "these," and "those") is essential. These words help you point out objects and people in conversations.

In Spanish, demonstratives change based on gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural). They also depend on distance (close, far, very far).

Let’s break them down!

---

Demonstratives in Action

Demonstratives help us point out people and objects at different distances. Let’s match these Spanish sentences to their possible contexts!

Example Sentences:

1. "Este coche me gusta más que ese."
   (I like this car more than that one.)

   • Context: Comparing two cars—one nearby ("este") and one farther away ("ese").

2. "Toma, esto es para ti." – "Gracias."
   (Here, this is for you. – Thanks.)

   • Context: Handing over an object (unknown/abstract, so we use "esto").

3. "Aquel chico es el novio de María."
   (That boy over there is María’s boyfriend.)

   • Context: Pointing to someone far away ("aquel").

4. "Carlos, coloca estos libros en la estantería."
   (Carlos, put these books on the shelf.)

   • Context: Referring to books close to the speaker ("estos").

---

Neuter Forms: Esto, Eso, Aquello

These never accompany a noun and refer to:

• Unknown/abstract things:

  • "Eso no es verdad." (That isn’t true.)

• Something mentioned earlier:

  • "¿Qué es aquello?" (What is that [over there]?)

---

📖 Reading Practice

---

🎧 Listening Practice

Slow Dialogues (Native Speakers):

1. 👩: "¿Quieres esta manzana o esa?" 👨: "Esa, por favor."

   → Which apple did the man choose? (Near or far?)

2. 👧: "Estos dulces son míos, pero aquellos son de mi hermano."

   → Who owns the faraway candies?

3. 👨‍🏫: "Este libro es fácil, pero aquel es difícil."

→ Which book is hard?

1. 👵: "¿Ves esa casa? Aquella es más antigua."

→ Which house is older?

1. 👦: "No me gusta esto."

   → Why did he use "esto" (neuter form)?

   ---

🗣️ Speaking Practice

Repeat after native clips (record yourself!):

🌍 Mediation Challenge

Translate these real-life scenarios into Spanish:

1. "This shirt is cheap, but that one (near you) is expensive."
   → "Esta camisa es barata, pero esa es cara."

Click here to practice.

✏️ Quiz Time!

Choose the correct demonstrative:

---

Great job! Now you know how to use este, ese, aquel (and their feminine, plural, and neuter forms) to point out objects and people with confidence.

🔹 Ready for more?
✅ Try describing objects in your home using este/esta, ese/esa, aquel/aquella.
✅ Listen to Spanish conversations and pay attention to how natives use demonstratives.
✅ Re-do the exercises in a few days to reinforce what you’ve learned.

📢 Your turn!
👉 Comment below: Create 2 sentences using different demonstratives. We’ll correct them if needed!

---

🚀 Want to Learn More?

📅 Book a 1-on-1 Spanish Lesson with me! 👉 Click here to schedule!