this, that, these, those, etc. (the pointing-out adjectives and pronouns.) demonstrative adjectives...

This, that, these, those, etc. (the pointing-out adjectives and

pronouns.)

Demonstrative Adjectives and Pronouns

(Los adjetivos y pronombres demostrativos)

Demonstrative adjectives point out people and objects and the relative position and distance between the speaker and the object or person modified.

Demonstrative adjectives are usually placed before the modified noun and agree with it in number and gender.

El viejo y el mar

Este libro que yo tengo aquí es una novela.

esteEste refers to a masculine singular noun that is close to the speaker.

Es de matemáticas.

¿De qué materia es ese libro que tú tienes allí?

El viejo y el mar

eseEse refers to a masculine singular noun that is close to the listener.

¡Exacto!

El viejo y el mar

Aquel libro que está allá en la mesa es un

diccionario, ¿no?

aquelAquel refers to a masculine singular noun that is far from both the speaker and the listener.

Estos libros los debo devolver a

la biblioteca.

El viejo y el mar

estosEstos* refers to a masculine plural noun that is close to the speaker.

*Notice that the plural of este is estos, not estes.

¡Sí, mucho!

¡Sí, estos libros son muy buenos!

El viejo y el mar

¿Esos libros son interesantes?

esosEsos* refers to a masculine plural noun that is close to the listener(s).

*Notice that the plural of ese is esos, not eses.

El viejo y el mar

Yo tampoco.No, no las conozco.

¿Conocen Uds. a las chicas que leen

aquellos libros?

aquellosAquellos refers to a masculine plural noun that is far from both the speaker and the listener(s).

¡Esta mochila es muy bonita!

estaEsta refers to a feminine singular noun that is close to the speaker.

Esa mochila no es tan grande como

esta mochila.No, pero es más barata.

esaEsa refers to a feminine singular noun that is close to the listener.

Aquella mochila es muy similar a esta mochila.

Sí, es idéntica.

aquellaAquella refers to a feminine singular noun that is far from both the speaker and the listener.

estas¿De quiénes son estas mochilas, me pregunto?

Estas refers to a feminine plural noun that is close to the speaker.

esasEsas mochilas

son suyas, ¿verdad?

Por supuesto.

Sí, son nuestras.

Esas refers to a feminine plural noun that is close to the listener(s).

aquellas

De acuerdo.

No sé de quiénes son.

Aquellas mochilas y éstas deben estar perdidas, yo creo.

Aquellas refers to a feminine plural noun that is far from both the speaker and the listener(s).

Summary• Este, esta = this• Estos, estas = these• Ese, esa = that• Esos, esas = those• Aquel, aquella = that (over there)• Aquellos, aquellas = those (over there)

This and these have t’s; that and those don’t.

If it has a t, it’s close to me.

If it has a t, then it’s touchable.

Here are some memory devices that may help:

SummaryIt should be pointed out that, in actual usage, ese, esa, esos and esas (that, those) are often used instead of aquel, aquella, aquellos and aquellas (that over there, those over there).

Esa (aquella) muchacha es mi prima, Isabel.That girl is my cousin, Isabel.

However, if the object or person is quite far away, the aquel forms are preferred.

Aquella casa allí en el cerro es de mi tío.

That house over there on the hill is my uncle’s.

The Demonstrative Pronouns

The forms that take the place of nouns.

(Los pronombres demostrativos)

Notice that, in this scene, the speakers are referring to the hats but have omitted the word sombrero, which now turns aquél and éste into pronouns.

In English, the man would say “I like that one a lot.” and his friend would say “Umm . . . and this one?”

When written, these pronominal forms bear an accent on the stressed e.

esto, eso, aquelloThe neuter forms esto, eso, and aquello do not take a written accent nor do they have plural forms. They are used to point out ideas, actions or concepts, or to refer to unspecified objects or things.

Aquello no me gusta.

I don’t like that (business, matter).

No dije eso. I didn’t say that.

Esto está mal. This is wrong.

These forms are also used to ask for a definition of something.

¿Qué es eso? What is that?

Es una biblioteca. It’s a library.

¿Qué es esto? What is this?Es una pulsera. It’s a bracelet.

Summary

• éste, ésta = this one

• éstos, éstas = these (ones)

• ése, ésa = that one

• ésos, ésas = those (ones)

• aquél, aquélla = that one (over there)

• aquéllos, aquéllas = those (ones) (over there)

FIN