Demonstrative adjectives, such as “este,” “ese,” and “aquel,” are essential tools for expressing the location and proximity of objects or people.
Understanding Demonstrative Adjectives in Spanish:
Demonstrative adjectives serve the purpose of indicating the location of a particular object or person concerning both the speaker and the listener. The three primary demonstrative adjectives are “este,” “ese,” and “aquel.” :
| Masculine Singular | Feminine Singular | Masculine Plural | Feminine Plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Close to Speaker | Este | Esta | Estos | Estas |
| Close to Listener | Ese | Esa | Esos | Esas |
| Far from Both | Aquel | Aquella | Aquellos | Aquellas |
Demonstrative Adjectives Chart
| Masculine Singular | Feminine Singular | Masculine Plural | Feminine Plural | |
| Close to Speaker | Este libro (This book) | Esta silla (This chair) | Estos libros (These books) | Estas sillas (These chairs) |
| Close to Listener | Ese coche (That car) | Esa pelÃcula (That movie) | Esos coches (Those cars) | Esas pelÃculas Those movies) |
| Far from Both | Aquel restaurante (That restaurant over there) | Aquella montaña (That mountain over there) | Aquellos restaurantes (Those restaurantes over there) | Aquellas montañas (Those mountains over there) |
Gender and Number Agreement in Spanish :
A fundamental rule in Spanish grammar is that adjectives must agree with the gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) of the noun they modify. Let’s explore how this agreement works with demonstrative adjectives.
Este (this):
| Location | Demonstrative Adjective | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| Close to speaker | Este | Este cuaderno (This notebook) | Estos cuadernos (These notebooks) |
Singular:
- Masculine: Este libro (This book) es interesante.
- Feminine: Esta silla (This chair) es cómoda.
Plural:
- Masculine: Estos libros (These books) son interesantes.
- Feminine: Estas sillas (These chairs) son cómodas.
Ese (that):
| Location | Demonstrative Adjective | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| Close to listener | Ese | Esa silla (That chair) | Esas sillas (Those chairs) |
Singular:
- Masculine: Ese automóvil (That car) es rápido.
- Feminine: Esa pelÃcula (That movie) es emocionante.
Plural:
- Masculine: Esos automóviles (Those cars) son rápidos.
- Feminine: Esas pelÃculas (Those movies) son emocionantes.
Aquel (that over there):
| Location | Demonstrative Adjective | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far from both | Aquel | Aquel restaurante (That restaurant over there) | Aquellos restaurantes (Those restaurants over there) |
Singular:
- Masculine: Aquel parque (That park over there) es sereno.
- Feminine: Aquella montaña (That mountain over there) es majestuosa.
Plural:
- Masculine: Aquellos parques (Those parks over there) son serenos.
- Feminine: Aquellas montañas (Those mountains over there) son majestuosas.
Tips for Application:
- Here and Este: Associate “Este” with things close to “here” (you).
- There and Ese: Connect “Ese” with pointing to something closer to the person “there” (you’re talking to).
- Over there and Aquel: Visualize using “Aquel” for objects “over there” (far from both of you).
