Demonstrative Pronouns
Demonstrative pronouns point to things and sometimes replace demonstrative adjectives. They help listeners know exactly which item you mean by showing distance relative to the speaker and listener.
Pronouns
Demonstrative pronouns stand alone and replace nouns; they usually carry an accent to distinguish them from adjectives. They come in three sets: near the speaker, near the listener, and far from both.
| Spanish Pronoun | English Pronoun | Spanish Pronoun | English Pronoun |
|---|---|---|---|
| éste / ésta / éstos / éstas | this one / these ones | ése / ésa / ésos / ésas | that one / those ones |
| aquél / aquella / aquélos / aquéllas | that one over there / those ones over there |
| Spanish Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🧴 Esta es la mía. | This one is mine. |
| 🧼 Esa quedó en tu mano. | That one stayed in your hand. |
| 🧷 Aquel colgaba en la pared. | That one (over there) was hanging on the wall. |
| 🧴 Estas son muy suaves. | These ones are very soft. |
| 🧼 Esas ya se usaron. | Those ones were already used. |
| 🧷 Aquellos se vieron desde lejos. | Those ones (over there) were seen from afar. |
Usage
Use demonstrative pronouns to avoid repeating a noun when the context is clear. Choose the pronoun set based on the item's distance relative to the speaker and listener, and keep the matching gender and number.
Shortness
In casual speech, the accented pronouns sometimes lose their accent and the forms can be shortened, but the traditional system with accents helps keep meaning clear in writing.
Related Forms
Demonstrative adjectives like este, ese and aquel modify nouns directly and do not carry accents. When in doubt, see if the word replaces a noun (pronoun, accent needed) or points to a noun (adjective, no accent).
| Spanish Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🧴 Esta toalla está limpia. | This towel is clean. |
| 🧼 Esa barra de jabón parece vieja. | That bar of soap looks old. |
| 🧷 Aquel gancho sostenía muchas toallas. | That hook held many towels. |
| 🧴 Lo que está en la esquina es mío. | What is in the corner is mine. |
| 🧼 Quiero eso que pusiste ahí. | I want that thing you put there. |
| 🧷 Aquello fue muy útil ayer. | That was very useful yesterday. |
Summary
Demonstrative pronouns like éste, ése and aquél replace nouns and show relative distance with accents that signal their function. Use them to keep sentences concise and clear about which thing you mean.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025