Demonstrative Adjectives

Demonstrative Adjectives
Adjectives are words that add information about nouns. In the case of demonstrative
adjectives, the information added is regarding spatial relationships.
Demonstrative adjectives, then, clarify which object the speaker is referring to. They
must agree in gender and number with the noun they are referring to, and they always
are placed right before the noun.
In English, the demonstrative adjectives are this, that, these and those.
English only has two options. To refer to things near to the speaker, this and these are
used. To refer to things farther from the speaker, that and those are used.
In Spanish, there are three options: close to the speaker (este/esta/estos/estas), far
from the speaker but close to the listener (ese/esa/esos/esas), and far from the
speaker and the listener (aquel/aquella/aquellos/aquellas). Don't forget to choose the
form of each that matches the noun!
Let’s take a look at all the forms. Here they are in a chart:
MasculineFeminine-singular Masculine-plural
singular
este (this)
esta (this)
estos (these)
ese (that)
esa (that)
esos (those)
aquel (that over
aquella (that over
aquellos (those over
there)
there)
there)
Examples:
Esta manzana es dulce.
Esa manzana es más dulce.
Feminine-plural
estas (these)
esas (those)
aquellas (those
over there)
This apple is sweet.
That apple is sweeter.
Remember that in Spanish there is an additional option: a faraway object.
For example:
Aquella manzana es la más dulce de todas.
That (faraway) apple is the sweetest of all.
Let’s see a few more examples:
Remember that demonstrative adjectives must agree in gender and number with the
nouns they are modifying.
este libro
estos libros
esta silla
estas sillas
ese plato
esos platos
this book
these books
this chair
these chairs
that plate
those plates
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Demonstrative Adjectives
esa chica
esas chicas
aquel carro
aquellos carros
aquella casa
aquellas casas
that girl
those girls
that car (way over there)
those cars (way over there)
that house (way over there)
those houses (way over there)
Note: Notice that these adjectives can also be used as pronouns, meaning they can
replace the noun they accompany, similar to what you do in English.
For example:
I want these chocolates. I want these.
Quiero estos chocolates. Quiero estos.
Also, the pronouns esto, eso and aquello can be used when referring to ideas or things
that are not specified.
For example:
¿Qué es esto?
Eso es muy importante.
Demonstrative Adjectives
What is this? (the gender is unknown)
That is very interesting (speaking about a concept or idea).
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