Demonstratives in Spanish

In Spanish, demonstratives are quite useful for pointing out things, people, or ideas based on their proximity or distance in relation to the speaker and/or the listener. They can be both pronouns and adjectives. 
Learning to differentiate them and use them correctly is essential for clear communication in this language. 
In this article, we will explore what demonstratives are, how they are classified, which ones we should use in our sentences according to the context, and we will provide you with practical examples so you can master them. 
Let’s get started!

What are demonstrative pronouns?

Demonstrative pronouns are words we use to point out something without the need to repeat the noun in a sentence. They also vary according to the distance between the speaker, the listener, and the object or idea we are referring to. Examples:

• Esta [mochila] es mía. (This [backpack] is mine.) (It is close to the speaker.)
• Eso [que sí quiero ir] es lo que te dije. (That [which I really want to go] is what I told you.) (It refers to something from the listener.)
• Aquel [libro] pareció interesante. (That [book] seemed interesting.) (It is far from both.)
• Este [perfume] me gusta más que aquel. (I like this [perfume] more than that one.) (It compares things.)
• Ese es [el parque] que mencionaste. (That is [the park/the one] you mentioned.) (It is close to the listener.)

In short, demonstrative pronouns are words that allow us to identify something without sounding repetitive.

Classification of Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns in Spanish are classified according to two criteria: proximity to the speaker and the listener, and agreement in gender and number with the noun they are replacing. 
Let’s analyze both in more detail now:

According to proximity

These demonstratives allow us to know how close or far the nouns are in relation to the person speaking and/or the person listening to our sentence.

• Close to the speaker

Masculine: este, estos. (this, these)

Quiero este. (I want this.)

Feminine: esta, estas. (this, these)

Compraré esta. (I will buy this.)

Neuter: esto. (this)

Esto es increíble. (This is incredible.)

• Close to the listener

Masculine: ese, esos. (that, those)

Ese es. (That is.)

Feminine: esa, esas. (that, those)

Esos me gustan. (I like those.)

Neuter: eso. (that) 
Eso fue lo que nos dijeron. (That was what they told us.)

• Far from both

Masculine: aquel, aquellos. (that, those)

Aquel es mejor. (That one is better.)

Feminine: aquella, aquellas. (that, those)

Mejor llévate aquella. (You'd better take that one.)

Neuter: aquello. (that) 
Aquello parece divertido. (That seems fun.)

According to gender and number

Demonstrative pronouns always agree in gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural) with the noun they replace. 
The neuter (esto, eso, aquello) is used when there is no specific noun or when referring to ideas, situations, or abstract concepts. Examples:

• Masculine singular: Ese es el mío. (That one is mine.)
• Feminine plural: Estas son muy bonitas. (These are very pretty.)
• Neuter: Esto es difícil de entender. (This is difficult to understand.)

Table of Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative Pronouns in Specific Contexts

Demonstrative pronouns can be used in different situations to help us give more precision or emphasis to our sentences.

• In questions and answers:

¿Qué es esto? - Eso es. (What is this? - That is.)

¿Quién trajo aquello? - Chris lo trajo. (Who brought that? - Chris brought it.)

¿Te gusta esto? - Sí, mucho. (Do you like this? - Yes, very much.)

• In comparisons:

Prefiero este a aquel. (I prefer this one to that one.)

Esta es más grande que esa. (This one is bigger than that one.)

Elige entre eso y esto. (Choose between that and this.)

• To refer to abstract concepts:

Esto es importante. (This is important.)

Aquello no tiene sentido. (That makes no sense.)

Eso nunca lo entendí. (I never understood that.)

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What are demonstrative adjectives?

Demonstrative adjectives are the words that accompany a noun to indicate its proximity or distance in relation to the speaker and the listener, allowing us to provide additional information about its location or context.

Classification of Demonstrative Adjectives 
Just like demonstrative pronouns, adjectives are classified according to proximity to the speaker and the listener.

• Close to the speaker:

Masculine: este, estos. (this, these)

Este juguete es muy grande. (This toy is very big.)

Feminine: esta, estas. (this, these) 
Esta camisa es nueva. (This shirt is new.)

• Close to the listener:

Masculine: ese, esos. (that, those)

Ese documental es interesante. (That documentary is interesting.)

Feminine: esa, esas. (that, those) 
Esas niñas son hermosas. (Those girls are beautiful.)

• Far from both:

Masculine: aquel, aquellos. (that, those)

Aquel edificio es muy alto. (That building is very tall.)

Feminine: aquella, aquellas. (that, those) 
Aquellas pinturas son impresionantes. (Those paintings are impressive.)

Table of Demonstrative Adjectives

Demonstrative Adjectives in Specific Contexts

Now let’s explore how demonstrative adjectives are used in different common situations:

To point out specific objects:

• Este reloj es el que compré ayer. (This watch is the one I bought yesterday.) (Close to the speaker.)
• Esa ventana está un poco sucia. (That window is a bit dirty.) (Close to the listener.)
• Aquella muñeca es muy vieja. (That doll is very old.) (Far from both.)

To talk about time:

• Este año ha sido increíble. (This year has been incredible.) (Present time, close.)
• Esa semana fue muy estresante. (That week was very stressful.) (Past time, a bit farther.)
• Aquellos días en Barcelona fueron maravillosos. (Those days in Barcelona were wonderful.) (Distant past.)

In conversations to identify specific things:

Persona A: ¿Dónde dejaste la llave? (Person A: Where did you leave the key?)

Persona B: En esta mesa. (Person B: On this table.)

In explanations or instructions:

• Ensambla esta pieza con la de allá. (Assemble this piece with that one over there.)
• Firma ese documento que está en la mesa. (Sign that document that is on the table.)
• Sigue aquel camino hasta llegar a la plaza. (Follow that path until you reach the square.)

In comparisons:

• Prefiero este libro que ese. (I prefer this book to that one.)
• Esta pulsera es más nueva que esa. (This bracelet is newer than that one.)
• Esa canción es mejor que aquella. (That song is better than that one.)

Demonstrative Pronouns vs. Demonstrative Adjectives

Here are some questions that will serve as tips to differentiate demonstrative pronouns from demonstrative adjectives and know what you need to use in your sentence:

1. Is the noun present in the sentence? If the noun appears explicitly in your sentence, you are using a demonstrative adjective. But if the noun is implied, then you would need a demonstrative pronoun. Example:

• Prefiero este color (adjective) vs. Prefiero este (pronoun). (I prefer this color vs. I prefer this.)

2. Does the word replace something or describe it? Remember that the key difference between demonstratives is that pronouns replace the noun, while adjectives accompany it. Example:

• Quiero esta bufanda (adjective) vs. Quiero esta. (pronoun) (I want this scarf vs. I want this.)

3. What would happen if you eliminate the noun? If your sentence still makes sense, you are probably using a demonstrative pronoun. Example:

• Esa tortuga es bonita → Esa es bonita. (That turtle is pretty → That one is pretty.)

4. What is the context of the sentence? Pronouns are often used to avoid repetition in our speech, while adjectives, on the contrary, allow us to provide more clarity by describing more details about the noun. Example:

• Adjective: Este asunto es urgente. (This matter is urgent.)
• Pronoun: Esto es urgente. (This is urgent.)

With these tips and examples, it will be easier for you to identify and differentiate demonstrative pronouns and adjectives, and thus form clearer and more correct sentences.

Summary

Demonstrative pronouns are essential for referring to objects, people, or ideas without unnecessarily repeating words.

Remember that they vary according to proximity, gender, and number. Additionally, it is important not to confuse them with demonstrative adjectives, as they have completely different functions within our sentences despite being similar.

With some attention and daily practice through the Promova app, you will see how soon you will learn to use them naturally in your conversations and writings in Spanish. Keep going!