Spanish Grammar: Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns Defined

Demonstrative pronouns are pronouns that point out definite persons, places, or things. There are only two demonstrative pronouns: this with its plural these, and that with its plural those.

This is my hat. (A definite hat is pointed out.)

That is your book. (A definite book is pointed out.)

These are the theater tickets. (Definite tickets are pointed out.)

Those are John's shoes. (Definite shoes are pointed out.)

Agreement

In Spanish, the demonstrative pronoun agrees in gender and in number with the noun it replaces. The written accent mark on the demonstrative pronouns distinguishes them from the adjectives. However, the neuter forms ésto, eso, aquello do not have an accent. Although this rule is now much more relaxed.

El libro verde es mío, pero ése es de María.
The green book is mine but that one is Maria's.

Hay dos cartas. Ésta es para usted; aquélla es para Juan.
There are two letters. This one is for you; that one is for John.

Las ventanas del otro cuarto son más grandes que éstas.
The windows of the other room are larger than these.

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Uses

a) The neuter demonstrative pronouns esto, eso, and aquello are used to indicate some general idea or something not mentioned by name. They cannot represent nouns since there are no neuter nouns in Spanish. (Note that they carry no accent).

Eso es importante.
That's important.

¿Qué es esto?
What's this?

¿Qué es eso? Es una bandera.
What is that? It is a flag.

No haré esto.
I shall not do this.

Aquello fue horrible.
That was horrible.

b) As in English, the demonstrative pronouns in Spanish function very often as adjectives. (Note, however, that when used as adjectives they carry no accent.) As adjectives, they naturally agree in gender and number with the nouns which they modify.

Este reloj es de oro.
This watch is made of gold.

No puedo abrir esta ventana.
I can't open this window.

Nunca leo aquel periódico.
I never read that newspaper.

Estos libros son muy viejos.
These books are very old.

Vamos a poner esas dos mesas juntas.
Let's put those two tables together.

Aquellos cuadros fueron pintados por Velázquez.
Those pictures were painted by Velazquez.

c) As in the case of the demonstrative adjectives, éste (this, this one) refers to a person or object near the speaker; ése (that, that one) refers to a person or object near the person addressed ; and aquél (that, that one) refers to a person or object distant from the person addressed.

Leo esos papeles y éste.
I am reading those papers and this one.

Esta moneda vale más que ésa.
This coin is worth more than that one.

Me gustan estas casas y aquéllas.
I like these houses and those (in the distance).

d) The demonstrative adjectives, as well as the demonstrative pronouns, generally correspond in meaning with the adverbs aquí, ahí, and alli.

este libro (aquí)
this book (here)

esa pluma (ahí)
that pen (there)

aquella casa (allí)
that house (over there)

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IDIOMATIC USES OF THE DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS

a) In contrasted expressions, éste means the latter and aquél the
former.

Pedro y Ana han partido, ésta con tres maletas y aquél con un baúl.
Peter and Anna have left, the former with a trunk and the latter with three suitcases.

Conozco a Elena y a Felipe; éste es diligente, aquélla es perezosa.
I know Helen and Philip; the former is lazy, the latter is industrious.

Note: In Spanish, contrary to English usage, the latter (éste) comes before the former (aquél).

b) When ésta refers to ciudad, it means this city (the one in which the speaker is) ; when ésa refers to ciudad, it means that city (the one in which the person addressed is).

Hay más fábricas en ésta que en ésa.
There are more factories in this city than in that one (in which you live).

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Table of demonstrative pronouns

	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
this these	éste éstos	ésta éstas	esto
that those	ése ésos	ésa ésas	eso
that (over there) those (over there)	aquél aquéllos	aquélla aquéllas	aquello