Demonstratives are used to identify a person, animal, or thing by indicating which entity is being referred to exactly. They often use proximity (or distance from the speaker) as a way to provide context. The demonstrative determiners in Spanish are este, ese, and aquel with respective gender and number variations.
How is Este Used?
Rule 1. Este is used when something we talk about is near the speaker:
Rule 2. Este has masculine, feminine, and plural forms. Therefore, it must agree in number and gender with the noun.
| Masculine | Feminine | |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | este | esta |
| Plural | estos | estas |
How is Ese Used?
Rule 3. Ese is used when something is near the person being spoken to.
Rule 4. Ese also has masculine, feminine, and plural forms, and it must agree in number and gender with the noun as well.
| Masculine | Feminine | |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | ese | esa |
| Plural | esos | esas |
How is Aquel Used?
Rule 5. Aquel is used when something is far away from both the speaker and the person being spoken to.
Rule 6. Aquel, like the other demonstratives, must also agree in gender and number with the noun.
| Masculine | Feminine | |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | Aquel | Aquella |
| Plural | Aquellos | Aquellas |
Quiz
1/4______________ es mi cuaderno.