Spanish grammar: adjetivos demostrativos

What this grammar point covers

Demonstrative adjectives in Spanish are words used before a noun to indicate which person or thing you are talking about (for example: this, that, those). They show how close the object is to the speaker.

When to use it

Use demonstrative adjectives in Spanish to point out or identify people or things and to show their distance from you. Use 'este' forms for things near you, 'ese' forms for things near the person you are talking to, and 'aquel' forms for things far from both.

Key forms

• este/esta/estos/estas (close to the speaker)
• ese/esa/esos/esas (a bit farther, close to the listener)
• aquel/aquella/aquellos/aquellas (far from both speaker and listener)

Examples

Tips

• Make sure the demonstrative adjective matches the gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) of the noun.
• Do not use an accent mark on demonstrative adjectives (for example: este, not éste).
• Remember that 'aquel' and its forms are used for things that are far away from both you and the listener.