What does esse mean in Spanish?

Ese (often written as esse in English contexts) is primarily the demonstrative meaning that or that one, and secondarily Chicano/Mexican-American slang for dude, homie, or buddy.

Where does the slang ese come from?

The slang usage of ese as dude originated in Mexican-American communities, possibly from abbreviating the word ese meaning that one to address someone, and became popularized through Chicano culture and media.

What is the difference between ese, este, and aquel?

Spanish has three levels of distance: este (this, near speaker), ese (that, near listener or medium distance), and aquel (that over there, far from both), each with masculine, feminine, and plural forms.

Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

What Does Esse (Ese) Mean in Spanish?

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Ese · pronoun · EH-seh

Ese in Spanish has two main uses: as a demonstrative adjective/pronoun meaning 'that' or 'that one,' and as Mexican-American slang for 'dude' or 'homie.' The spelling 'esse' reflects the slang pronunciation.

Ese is pronounced EH-seh, with two syllables and stress on the first.

Ese libro es el que te recomendé ayer.

That book is the one I recommended to you yesterday.

Esse in Spanish: Quick Reference

Below are the most common Spanish words for esse, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.

Spanish	English	Pronunciation	Region / Register
ese	esse	EH-seh	Default, widely understood
ése	esse		demonstrative pronoun with optional accent

How Native Speakers Use Ese

Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.

Demonstrative adjective

Pásame ese vaso que está en la mesa.

Pass me that glass that's on the table.

Pointing to a specific object at medium distance.

Demonstrative pronoun

No quiero este — quiero ese de allí.

I don't want this one — I want that one over there.

Choosing between items.

Slang greeting

¿Qué onda, ese? ¿Cómo has estado?

What's up, dude? How have you been?

Informal Mexican-American greeting between friends.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Ese

Confusing ese with este

Incorrect: Dame ese libro que tengo en la mano.

Correct: Dame este libro que tengo en la mano.

Este is for things near the speaker, ese is for things at medium distance or near the listener.

Using slang ese in formal contexts

Incorrect: Buenos días, ese, ¿en qué le puedo ayudar?

Correct: Buenos días, señor, ¿en qué le puedo ayudar?

The slang ese is extremely informal and inappropriate in professional or formal settings.

Lock in Esse Vocabulary with the Parrot Method

Why word lists alone don't stick

Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.

See Ese used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using ese in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Ese libro es el que te recomendé ayer. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.

Save, review, repeat, stay consistent

Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.

Common Questions About Esse in Spanish

What does esse mean in Spanish?: Ese (often written as esse in English contexts) is primarily the demonstrative meaning that or that one, and secondarily Chicano/Mexican-American slang for dude, homie, or buddy.
Where does the slang ese come from?: The slang usage of ese as dude originated in Mexican-American communities, possibly from abbreviating the word ese meaning that one to address someone, and became popularized through Chicano culture and media.
What is the difference between ese, este, and aquel?: Spanish has three levels of distance: este (this, near speaker), ese (that, near listener or medium distance), and aquel (that over there, far from both), each with masculine, feminine, and plural forms.