A1 · Adjectives
Demonstratives: este, ese, aquel
By me, by you, by neither of us.
At a glance
- Remember
- Before a noun it agrees, on its own it is neuter.
- Form
- este libro, esta mesaby me
- Signal words
- este
- ese
- aquel
- esto
- aquí
- Trap
- Wrong:¿Me pasas esto libro?Right:¿Me pasas este libro?
Your turn
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The form
The patterns at a glance
Each row first says when or what the pattern is used for, then gives an example in Spanish.
| by me | este libro, esta mesa |
| by you | ese libro, esa mesa |
| further away | aquel libro, aquella mesa |
| plural | estos, esos, aquellos |
| neuter | esto, eso, aquello |
| place adverbs | aquí, ahí, allí |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is aboutThe word that calls for it
este is by me, ese by you, aquel further away.
Este de aquí es mío.This one here is mine.
All three agree in gender and number.
Esas fotos son antiguas.Those photos are old.
esto, eso and aquello never stand before a noun.
¿Qué significa esto?What does this mean?
Each form has a matching place adverb.
Ese de ahí no me gusta.I do not like that one there.
Example sentences
Este coche es nuevo.This car is new.
¿Me pasas ese libro?Can you pass me that book?
Aquellos años fueron difíciles.Those years were difficult.
Eso no es verdad.That is not true.
6 more example sentences
Esta semana estoy muy ocupado.I am very busy this week.
¿Quién es ese señor?Who is that gentleman?
En aquella época no había internet.There was no internet in those days.
Todo esto es tuyo.All this is yours.
Aquí no, allí.Not here, over there.
Esos zapatos te quedan bien.Those shoes suit you.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
The neuter form gets put in front of a noun: esto libro. Esto, eso and aquello always stand alone. Before a noun the agreeing form is used: este libro, esta mesa.
The full explanation
Read it all · about 1 min
Spanish tells three distances apart where English has two. Esteis by meeseis by youaquelis away from us both The place adverbs make the same three-way split: aquí, ahí, allí — where English has only «here» and «there».
All three agree: este libro, esta casa, estos libros, estas casas. The same with ese and aquel.
For something unnamed there are the neuter forms esto, eso, aquello — they never go in front of a noun and never take an accent: ¿Qué es esto?
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The verbs on this page, in every form: ser · pasar · gustar · significar