Spanish grammar · Beginner
Este, Ese, Aquel: Spanish Demonstratives
Spanish has three demonstrative levels: este (this, close to speaker), ese (that, closer to listener), aquel (that, far from both). Each agrees in gender and number (este / esta / estos / estas).
Este libro, ese coche, aquel edificio.
This book, that car, that building (over there).
What it is
Spanish has three levels of demonstratives, more granular than English's this / that. Este = this (close to speaker). Ese = that (closer to listener, or moderate distance). Aquel = that (far from both speaker and listener, or distant in time). Each agrees in gender and number with the noun.
Este libro (this book, in my hand), ese libro (that book, by you), aquel libro (that book, across the room). Three distances, not two.
How to spot it
Look for este / ese / aquel before nouns. Match the form (e.g., esta mesa, esos coches, aquellas casas) to gender and number.
- Este libro es interesante. — This book is interesting.
- Esos zapatos son tuyos. — Those shoes are yours.
- Aquella montaña es enorme. — That mountain (far) is enormous.
Modern RAE dropped the required accent on demonstrative pronouns (éste, ése, aquél). Both with and without accent are accepted; without is now standard.
Este, Ese, Aquel Quick Reference
Spanish demonstrative adjectives, gender × number
| Masculine Sg. | Feminine Sg. | Masculine Pl. | Feminine Pl. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| this / these (close) | este | esta | estos | estas |
| that / those (mid) | ese | esa | esos | esas |
| that / those (far) | aquel | aquella | aquellos | aquellas |
Common Este, Ese, Aquel Examples in Spanish
Demonstratives in real contexts:
Este, Close to Speaker
- Este libro es mío.
- This book is mine.
- Estas flores son hermosas.
- These flowers are beautiful.
- Este año he viajado mucho.
- This year I've traveled a lot.
Este = something you're holding, near you, or referring to the present moment.
Ese, Closer to Listener
- Ese coche es nuevo.
- That car is new.
- Esos zapatos te quedan bien.
- Those shoes look good on you.
- Ese día fue especial.
- That day was special.
Ese = near the person you're talking to, moderate distance, or recent past.
Aquel, Far from Both
- Aquella casa al final de la calle.
- That house at the end of the street.
- En aquellos tiempos...
- In those (distant) times...
- Aquel hombre era un genio.
- That man (we knew long ago) was a genius.
Aquel = far in space OR far in time. Often used for memories or distant past.
Neuter Forms: Esto, Eso, Aquello
- ¿Qué es esto?
- What is this? (unknown object)
- Eso no me gusta.
- I don't like that. (abstract idea)
- Aquello fue increíble.
- That (whole situation) was incredible.
Neuter forms (esto, eso, aquello) refer to unidentified objects, abstract ideas, or situations, never a specific noun.
How to Use Spanish Demonstratives
Three Distance Levels
Spanish demonstratives encode three distances. Este (close to speaker) ≈ this. Ese (closer to listener or middle distance) ≈ that. Aquel (far from both) ≈ that over there.
Este libro (in my hand), ese libro (by you), aquel libro (across the room).
Three positions where English only distinguishes two (this / that).
If you're not sure, default to ese, it covers the middle range and is the most common in conversation.
Gender and Number Agreement
Demonstrative adjectives agree with the noun in gender and number. Masculine: este, ese, aquel (sg) / estos, esos, aquellos (pl). Feminine: esta, esa, aquella (sg) / estas, esas, aquellas (pl).
Este coche / esta mesa / estos libros / estas casas.
This car / this table / these books / these houses.
Aquel adds an extra l in feminine (aquella, aquellas). All three lose final consonant in feminine sg/pl.
Demonstrative Pronouns (No Accent Required)
When used as pronouns (without a noun), demonstratives can stand alone. Modern RAE no longer requires the accent (éste, ése, aquél), both with and without are accepted.
Este es mío, ese es tuyo. (= This one is mine, that one is yours.)
This one is mine, that one is yours.
Older Spanish texts use accents; modern Spanish drops them. Either is correct.
Neuter Forms: Esto, Eso, Aquello
Esto / eso / aquello are NEUTER forms used for unidentified objects, abstract ideas, or whole situations. They never agree with a noun.
¿Qué es esto? Eso es interesante. Aquello fue un desastre.
What is this? That's interesting. That (whole thing) was a disaster.
If you're pointing at a specific noun, use the gendered form. If referring to a vague thing / idea, use the neuter.
Common Mistakes with Este, Ese, Aquel
Incorrect: Este mesa es bonita. — This table is pretty. (wrong gender)
Correct: Esta mesa es bonita. — This table is pretty.
Mesa is feminine, so the demonstrative is esta, not este. Match gender of the noun.
Incorrect: ¿Qué es este? — What is this? (wrong, needs neuter)
Correct: ¿Qué es esto? — What is this?
When asking about an unidentified object, use the neuter esto. Este would require a known masculine noun.
Incorrect: Aquellos casa están lejos. — Those houses are far. (wrong agreement)
Correct: Aquellas casas están lejos. — Those houses are far.
Casa is feminine plural → aquellas casas. Match both gender and number.
Neuter Forms: Esto, Eso, Aquello
Use for Unknown / Abstract Things
Neuter forms refer to objects you don't know the name of, abstract ideas, or entire situations. They never modify a noun.
- ¿Qué es esto?
- What is this? (unknown object)
- Eso no es justo.
- That's not fair. (abstract)
- Aquello fue inolvidable.
- That (whole experience) was unforgettable.
Neuter exists ONLY for demonstratives, NOT for definite articles. There's no el / la equivalent.
Distance Still Applies
The three-level distance still applies to neuter forms. Esto = unknown thing near me. Eso = near you / mid distance. Aquello = far / distant in time.
- Esto que tengo en la mano...
- This thing I have in my hand...
- Eso que dices es interesante.
- That (which you're saying) is interesting.
- Aquello pasó hace muchos años.
- That happened many years ago.
Aquello is the strongest at marking temporal distance, common for storytelling about the past.
Este, Ese, Aquel FAQs
- What's the difference between este, ese, and aquel?
- Este = this (close to speaker). Ese = that (closer to listener or mid distance). Aquel = that (far from both speaker and listener, or distant in time). Spanish has three distance levels where English has only two.
- How do I make demonstratives agree with the noun?
- They agree in gender and number. Este coche, esta mesa, estos libros, estas casas. Same for ese (esa, esos, esas) and aquel (aquella, aquellos, aquellas). Aquel adds an extra l in feminine forms.
- What are esto, eso, and aquello?
- These are NEUTER demonstrative pronouns, used for unidentified objects, abstract ideas, or entire situations. ¿Qué es esto? = What is this? (unknown object). Eso no me gusta = I don't like that (idea / situation).
- Do I need the accent on éste, ése, aquél?
- Old rules required accents on demonstrative pronouns (without a following noun): éste, ése, aquél. Modern RAE allows omission, most current writing drops the accent. Both are correct.
- When should I use aquel?
- Aquel covers things FAR from both speaker and listener (aquel edificio = that building over there), and things distant in TIME (aquellos tiempos = those distant times). Common in storytelling and historical references.