Demonstrative Pronouns in Spanish: A2 Grammar Guide

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Key Takeaways

• Master the three sets of demonstrative pronouns (éste, ése, aquél)
• Understand when to use each pronoun based on physical and emotional distance
• Learn the difference between demonstrative pronouns and adjectives
• Practice using demonstrative pronouns to replace nouns and avoid repetition
• Master gender and number agreement with demonstrative pronouns

Point Out Specific Things Without Repetition

Demonstrative pronouns allow you to point out specific things without repeating the noun. Think of them as the Spanish equivalents of “this one,” “that one,” “these,” and “those” in English. While demonstrative adjectives describe nouns (this book), demonstrative pronouns replace them (this one).

The Three Levels of Distance

Spanish has three sets of demonstratives, each indicating a different distance:

Distance	Concept	English Equivalent
Near Speaker	Close to me	This one, These
Near Listener	Close to you	That one, Those
Far from Both	Far from both of us	That one over there, Those over there

Demonstrative Pronouns Chart

Demonstrative Pronouns – Learn all 12 forms

Distance	Masculine Singular	Feminine Singular	Masculine Plural	Feminine Plural
Near Speaker (this one/these)	éste	ésta	éstos	éstas
Near Listener (that one/those)	ése	ésa	ésos	ésas
Far from Both (that one over there)	aquél	aquélla	aquéllos	aquéllas

💡 Grammar Tip: The accent marks on demonstrative pronouns (éste, ése, aquél) are crucial! They distinguish pronouns from adjectives (este, ese, aquel).

Demonstrative Pronouns vs. Adjectives

Demonstrative Adjective:	Demonstrative Pronoun:
“Este libro es mío.” (This book is mine.)	“Éste es mío.” (This one is mine.)
“Esa casa es grande.” (That house is big.)	“Ésa es grande.” (That one is big.)
“Aquel coche es rápido.” (That car over there is fast.)	“Aquéllos son rápidos.” (Those over there are fast.)

Using Demonstrative Pronouns in Context

Physical Distance:

• “¿Qué libro prefieres?” “Prefiero éste.” (Which book do you prefer? I prefer this one.) – book is close to speaker
• “Esas flores son bonitas, pero ésas son más grandes.” (Those flowers are pretty, but those are bigger.) – flowers are close to listener
• “Mira esos edificios. Aquéllos son muy antiguos.” (Look at those buildings. Those over there are very old.) – buildings are far from both

Emotional Distance:

• “Tengo dos problemas: éste es pequeño, pero ése es grave.” (I have two problems: this one is small, but that one is serious.) – emotional distance
• “De todos mis recuerdos, aquél es el más feliz.” (Of all my memories, that one is the happiest.) – distant in time

Neuter Forms: Esto, Eso, Aquello

For abstract concepts or when the gender is unknown:

Neuter Form	Use For	Example	Translation
Esto	This (unspecified)	¿Qué es esto?	What is this?
Eso	That (unspecified)	No me gusta eso.	I don’t like that.
Aquello	That over there (unspecified)	Aquello era diferente.	That was different.

🔍 Grammar Focus: Neuter forms never use accent marks and are used when you don’t know or can’t see what you’re referring to, or for abstract concepts.

Common Usage Patterns

In Stores and Markets:

• “Me gusta esta camisa, pero ésta es muy cara.”
• “Prefiero esos zapatos. Ésos son más cómodos.”
• “¿Cuánto cuestan aquéllos?” (pointing to distant items)

Making Comparisons:

• “Entre estos dos libros, éste es más interesante.”
• “De todas las opciones, aquélla es la mejor.”

Avoiding Repetition:

• “Tengo varias ideas. Ésta es práctica, ésa es creativa, y aquélla es innovadora.”

Putting It All Together: Real Conversations

Conversation 1: Shopping Decisions
Cliente: Me interesan estos dos vestidos. Éste es elegante, pero ése es más cómodo.
Vendedor: Éste es de seda, ése es de algodón. ¿Y aquél azul?
Cliente: Aquéllos son bonitos, pero prefiero éstos.

Translation:
Customer: I’m interested in these two dresses. This one is elegant, but that one is more comfortable.
Salesperson: This one is silk, that one is cotton. What about that blue one over there?
Customer: Those over there are pretty, but I prefer these.

Conversation 2: Choosing Options
Ana: Tenemos tres restaurantes para elegir. Éste está cerca, ése es barato, y aquél tiene mejor comida.
Carlos: Prefiero éste. Aquél es demasiado lejos.
Ana: Ése tampoco me convence. Vamos a éste.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Missing accent marks: “Este es mío” (ambiguous) → “Éste es mío” (clear)
2. Confusing distance levels: Using “ése” when you mean “aquél”
3. Using adjectives as pronouns: “Este es libro” (wrong) → “Este libro” or “Éste” (correct)
4. Wrong gender agreement: “Éste casa” (wrong) → “Ésta casa” or “Esta casa” (correct)
5. Overusing neuter forms: Use only for unspecified or abstract concepts

Quick Reference Chart

Situation	Form to Use	Example
Object near me (masculine)	éste, éstos	Éste es mejor
Object near me (feminine)	ésta, éstas	Ésta es mía
Object near you (masculine)	ése, ésos	Ése es tuyo
Object near you (feminine)	ésa, ésas	Ésa es grande
Object far from both (masc)	aquél, aquéllos	Aquéllos son caros
Object far from both (fem)	aquélla, aquéllas	Aquéllas son antiguas
Unspecified/abstract	esto, eso, aquello	¿Qué es esto?

Practice Exercise: Choose the Correct Pronoun

Select the correct demonstrative pronoun:

1. (This one – close to me, masculine) ______ es mi favorito.
2. (That one – close to you, feminine) ______ es más barata.
3. (Those over there – far, masculine) ______ son importados.
4. (What is this? – unspecified) ¿Qué es ______?

Answers:

1. Éste es mi favorito.
2. Ésa es más barata.
3. Aquéllos son importados.
4. ¿Qué es esto?

📚 Review related topics: Demonstrative Adjectives | Possessive Pronouns

Ready to Point Things Out Precisely?

Think you’ve mastered demonstrative pronouns? Test your ability to choose the right form based on distance and gender!

Take Our Demonstrative Pronouns Quiz ►

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