Demonstrative pronouns are used to indicate which noun is being referred to in a sentence. They do not describe a noun; they merely inform us of their presence or existence. Demonstrative pronouns must agree in gender and number with the noun they are associated with:
Demonstrative pronouns
Singular
Plural
éste(m), ésa(f)
(this, this one)
éstos(m), éstas(f)
(these, these ones)
(near the speaker)
ése(m), ésa(f)
(that, that one )
ésos(m), ésas(f)
(those, those ones)
(near the listener)
aquél(m), aquélla(f)
(that, that one)
aquéllos(m), aquéllas(f)
(those, those ones)
(outside the range of both speaker and listener)
esto, eso, aquello
estos, esos, aquellos
neuter form (used when there is no association with a specific noun)
The masculine and feminine forms can refer to animate or inanimate nouns, but the neuter forms refer to concepts or objects that have an unknown gender:
- Ésta es la hermana de Juan. (This is Juan´s sister.) - Éste es mi coche. (This is my car.) - Esto no me gusta nada. (I don't like this at all.).
- Aquello fue un completo desastre. (That was a complete disaster.)
- ¿Qué es esto? No sé lo que es. (What is this? I don´t know what it is.)
Notice how in the last example the speaker uses the neuter form to ask about an unknown object. Since the object (and its gender) is unknown to the speaker, he (or she) does not use the masculine or feminine form.
OTHER USES OF DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS
Demonstrative pronouns are often used in Spanish for emphasis:
- Éste es un chico muy inteligente (He is a very smart guy.) - Ésta sí que es una verdadera fiesta. (This is truly a party.)
Demonstrative pronouns can also have a negative sense:
Ése es un caso perdido. ( He's a hopeless case.)
¡Qué se habrá creído éste! ( Who does he think he is!)
Demonstrative pronouns are also used to express the idea of
the former and the latter.
- Tiene un Mercedes y un Toyota; aquél lo usa en actos oficiales
y éste para desplazarse por la ciudad.
(He has a Mercedes and a Toyota; he uses the former on
official occasions and the latter to get around town.)
- José ha escrito una novela y un libro de poemas.
Aquélla fue un éxito de ventas y éste fue un fracaso.
(José has written a novel and a book of poetry.
The former was a bestseller and the latter was a failure.)
There are a few expressions that incorporate the demonstrative pronoun:
Eso es. (That’s it; that’s what I’m looking for; absolutely.)
Por eso. (That’s why.)
Te recogeré a eso de las diez. (I´ll pick you up at around 10 o’clock.)
