Demonstrative Adjectives

a demonstrative adjective / un adjetivo demostrativo = an adjective used to indicate a particular

person, place, thing, or idea

an adverb / un adverbio = a word (such as very and quickly) that modifies a verb, adjective, or
another adverb

Singular

This Este abrigo Esta gorra

That Ese abrigo Esa gorra

Aquel abrigo Aquella gorra

Plural

These Estos abrigos Estas gorras

Those Esos abrigos Esas gorras

Aquellos abrigos Aquellas gorras

When to use This/ That, These & Those:

near 1. This (specific) Gender Este/a

2. This (general/unidentified) NO gender Esto
3. These (specific) Gender Estos/as
far 1. That (specific) Gender Ese/a
2. That (general/unidentified) NO gender Eso
3. Those (specific) Gender Esos/as
farther 1. That (specific) Gender Aquel/la
2. That (general/ unidentified) NO gender Aquello
3. Those (specific) Gender Aquellos/as

**always pay attention to proximity

 Esto es una mochila. (to identify in general) This is a backpack.

 Esta es mi mochila. (to identify one out of a group) This (one) is my backpack.
o Este es mi lapiz. This (one) is my pencil.
Demonstrative Adjectives / Los adjetivos demostrativos

1. Agreement
 Demonstrative adjectives are used to indicate a specific noun or nouns. In
Spanish, los adjetivos demostrativos are placed before the nouns they modify.
 They also agree in number and gender with the nouns.

2. Using este and ese

Forms of este (this, these) and ese (that, those) are used just like this/these and that/those
in English.

 When two people are speaking, forms of este are used to refer to nouns that are
close to the speaker in space or time.

 Forms of ese refer to nouns that are close to the person spoken to.

 When the noun is distant from both speakers, forms of ese are used.

3. Using ese and aquel

There are two ways to say that/those in Spanish.

a. Forms of ese refer to nouns that are not close to the speaker.

b. Forms of aquel refer to nouns that are even farther away from the speaker(s).

c. aquí, allí, and allá are associated with the forms of este, ese, and aquel,
respectively. However, it is not obligatory to use these words with the
demonstrative adjectives.

Adverbs/ los adverbios

Aquí Here

Allí There

Allá Way over there

Demonstrative Pronouns / Los pronombres demostrativos

1. Demonstrative Pronouns

In English, the demonstrative pronouns are the demonstrative adjective + the word
one(s), as in the examples below. In Spanish, los pronombres demostrativos are the same
as demonstrative adjectives, except that the noun is not used and there is no direct
equivalent for English one(s).*

Ej. -¿Te gusta aquella casa allá? Do you like that house way over there?

-¿Cuál? Which one?

-Aquella, la de las ventanas grandes That one, the one w the big windows

-¡Ah, aquella! Sí, me gusta mucho. Mucho más que esta

-Oh, that one! I like it a lot. A lot more than this one

2. Agreement

In Spanish, demonstrative pronouns agree in gender and number with the noun they are
replacing: ese libro, en la mesa → ese, en la mesa.

3. Neuter Demonstrative Pronouns

Use the neuter demonstrative pronouns esto, eso, and aquello to refer to as yet
unidentified objects or to a whole idea, concept, or situation.

Ej.: unident.: ¿Qué es esto/eso? I don’t like this/that

No me gusta aquello. I don’t like that, (way) over there

General: Ah, ¿sacas licenciatura de psicología? ¿Cómo te va con eso?

Oh, you’re getting a psychology degree? How’s it going with that?

¿Esto te molesta? / ¿Te molesta esto?

This bothers you? / Are you bothered by this?

No me gusta esto de tener tarea todos los días.

I don’t like this, the having homework every day