Demonstrative pronouns indicate the position of a being, object, idea, or clause in relation to the people involved in the discourse. Like Pronouns, they can function as demonstrative adjectives when they accompany a noun, or as demonstrative pronouns when they replace it. In Portuguese, the choice of form also expresses proximity, distance, and relation to the speaker and the listener.

The forms vary in gender and number to agree with the referent. The main series are este, esta, estes, estas; esse, essa, esses, essas; and aquele, aquela, aqueles, aquelas. The neuter pronouns isto, isso and aquilo refer to ideas, facts, or entire sentences and do not vary in gender or number.

FormaForm	TipoType	IdeiaIdea
estethis	adjetivo ou pronomeadjective or pronoun	proximal ao falanteproximal to the speaker
essethat	adjetivo ou pronomeadjective or pronoun	próximo ao ouvinteproximal to the listener
aquelethat over there	adjetivo ou pronomeadjective or pronoun	afastado de ambosfar from both
istothis	neutroneuter	ideia presenteidea present
issothat	neutroneuter	ideia já mencionadaidea already mentioned
aquilothat over there	neutroneuter	ideia distanteidea distant

When they accompany a noun, demonstratives agree with it in gender and number. Thus, the chosen form changes depending on whether the referent is masculine or feminine and singular or plural. This agreement is visible in pairs such as este livro, esta mesa, estes livros and estas mesas.

RegraRule	ExemploExample
O demonstrativo concorda com um substantivo masculino singular.The demonstrative agrees with a masculine singular noun.	Este aluno chegou cedo.Este aluno chegou cedo.
O demonstrativo concorda com um substantivo feminino singular.The demonstrative agrees with a feminine singular noun.	Esta casa é antiga.Esta casa é antiga.
O demonstrativo concorda com um substantivo masculino plural.The demonstrative agrees with a masculine plural noun.	Esses livros são novos.Esses livros são novos.
O demonstrativo concorda com um substantivo feminino plural.The demonstrative agrees with a feminine plural noun.	Aquelas flores estão bonitas.Aquelas flores estão bonitas.

As a demonstrative adjective, the form typically appears before the noun it determines. As a demonstrative pronoun, it substitutes for the noun already mentioned and occupies the place of the name in the sentence. When there is contrast between adjective and pronoun, the presence or absence of the noun clearly shows the function of the form.

IdeiaIdea	ExemploExample
O demonstrativo antes do substantivo tem valor adjetivo.The demonstrative before the noun has adjectival value.	Este caderno é meu.This notebook is mine.
O demonstrativo sem substantivo tem valor pronominal.The demonstrative without a noun has pronominal value.	Este é meu.This one is mine.
O demonstrativo pode retomar um referente já citado.The demonstrative can refer back to a referent already cited.	Comprei o carro e gostei desse.I bought the car and liked that one.

Este tends to point to what is linked to the speaker, esse to what is associated with the listener, and aquele to what is distant from both. This organization can be spatial and also temporal, indicating proximity at the moment of speech, in context, or in discursive memory. In Brazil, esse is often used more broadly, including where in Portugal the opposition between este and esse is more marked.

RegiãoRegion	FormaForm	Definição regionalRegional definition	ExemploExample
BrasilBrazil	essethat	Muitas vezes aparece com valor próximo ao de este na fala cotidiana.Often appears with a value close to este in everyday speech.	Esse livro aqui está comigo.That book here is with me.
PortugalPortugal	estethis	Costuma marcar com mais clareza a ligação com o falante.Usually marks the connection with the speaker more clearly.	Este bilhete é meu.This ticket is mine.
PortugalPortugal	essethat	Costuma marcar com mais clareza a ligação com o interlocutor.Usually marks the connection with the listener more clearly.	Esse casaco aí é teu.That coat there is yours.

When they join with prepositions, demonstratives can form contractions such as deste, dessa, and daquele. These forms maintain the gender and number value of the originating demonstrative and follow the preposition's required regency. The contractions are frequent in writing and in formal speech, especially when the spatial or discursive relation needs to be explicit.

IdeiaIdea	ExemploExample
A preposição de pode unir se a este e formar deste.The preposition de can join with este to form deste.	Gosto deste livro.I like this book.
A preposição de pode unir se a esse e formar desse.The preposition de can join with esse to form desse.	A capa desse filme é bonita.The cover of that movie is nice.
A preposição de pode unir se a aquele e formar daquele.The preposition de can join with aquele to form daquele.	Lembro me daquele dia.I remember that day.

Isto, isso and aquilo do not refer back to a noun with defined gender, but to an idea, a situation, or an entire clause. Isto points to something linked to the speaker, isso to something linked to the listener or already mentioned, and aquilo to something distant in discourse or memory. In questions, answers and explanations, these neuters avoid repeating the full sentence and make the text more cohesive.

FormaForm	UsoUse	ReferênciaReference
istoisto	neutroneuter	ideia ligada ao falanteidea linked to the speaker
issoisso	neutroneuter	ideia ligada ao interlocutor ou já ditaidea linked to the listener or already stated
aquiloaquilo	neutroneuter	ideia afastada ou menos acessívelidea distant or less accessible

The demonstratives form a reference system that organizes people, objects, and ideas by degree of proximity, by agreement, and by position in the sentence. The forms with a noun function as demonstrative adjectives, while the forms without a noun function as demonstrative pronouns. The set este, esse, aquele and the neuters isto, isso, aquilo also helps distinguish spatial, discursive, and temporal reference with precision.