Demonstrative adjectives, also known as adjetivos demostrativos in Spanish, are those words that denote the distance between the speaker and an object, a place, or another person to whom the adjective refers. They can also refer to time, especially the present, the past, and the near future. Let’s see some examples:

In contrast to English with just has two scales of distance for this and that, the demonstrative adjectives in Spanish denote three distinct distances. Before we get into the details, let’s just start with these three basics, in masculine and feminine singular:

• I plan to finish my Spanish course this year. – Este año planeo terminar mi curso de español.

• That beach is the one I told you about. – Esa playa es de la que te hablé.

• Those boys are Fernando’s cousins. – Aquellos muchachos son los primos de Fernando.

Since they are adjectives, demonstratives generally come before a noun. Like any other adjective in Spanish, they must agree with the noun in gender and number. They have no written accents.

This, That, These, Those: When to Use Each of Them

Demonstrative adjectives in Spanish are divided into three essential groups. As we mentioned previously, they will depend on the distance between the subject and the object, place, or person. They’re also used to describe when things happen in time, with similar criteria of distance. Let’s take a closer look at each set of Spanish demonstrative adjectives.

Este / Esta: Close distance

The first group points out the highest degree of proximity between the speaker and the object. The distance is usually so close that you can touch the object you’re talking about. If we were describing the place we would say here, or in Spanish aquí or acá. When referring to time we’ll say that it’s soon: it’s in the future but very close to the present.

• These shoes are too tight. I must change them. – Estos zapatos me aprietan demasiado. Debo cambiarlos.

• Are these keys yours? – ¿Estas llaves son tuyas?

• These students have failed the math exam. – Estos estudiantes han reprobado el examen de matemáticas.

• I want you to finish the report this week. – Quiero que termines el informe esta semana.

• My in-laws are coming to visit me this Friday. – Mis suegros vendrán este viernes a visitarme.

• Are you going to the dentist this week? – ¿Vas a ir esta semana al odontólogo?

Ese / Esa: Middle distance

This middle set of demonstrative adjectives in Spanish can refer to something nearby, which the speaker can see but which is not easily within reach. If we were describing the place we would say there in English, or ahí or allí in Spanish. In time we’re talking about the recent past where we can refer to a specific moment, but not too long ago.

• My dad gave me that red bike you see there. – Mi papá me regaló esa bicicleta roja que ves ahí.

• Those guys painted my house last time. – Esos chicos pintaron mi casa la vez pasada.

• How much are those shirts there? – ¿Cuánto cuestan esas camisas de ahí?

• I trained a lot on Thursday. I injured my ankle that day. – Entrené muchísimo el jueves. Ese día me lesioné el tobillo.

• I remember that week we had a lot of work to do – Recuerdo que esa semana tuvimos muchísimo trabajo pendiente.

Aquel / Aquella: Far distance

This far group of Spanish demonstrative adjectives indicates the highest degree of physical distance or time gap. In English we would refer to the place as over there, or in Spanish allá. When we talk about time, we use these words to refer to things which happened quite some time in the past, without necessarily mentioning a specific date.

• That restaurant is more crowded than this one. I guess it must be better. – Aquel restaurante está más lleno que este. Supongo que debe ser mejor.

• I think we know those people over there. – Creo que conocemos a aquellas personas de por allá.

• It is always nice to relive those happy moments. – Siempre es bueno revivir aquellos momentos felices.

• Rock music was very fashionable at that time. – En aquella época el rock estaba muy de moda.

• Very few people worked in the countryside in those days. – Muy poca gente trabajaba en el campo en aquellos días.

Demonstrative Adjectives: Where They are Placed in a Sentence

Before a noun

A demonstrative adjective typically precedes the noun in a normal sentence, as we’ve seen in all our examples so far.

• My wife and I bought that house. – Mi esposa y yo compramos esa casa.

After a noun: contempt

Demonstrative adjectives in Spanish can also be placed right after the noun and its definite article, but this changes the meaning entirely. This new structure indicates a distant relationship, irony, contempt, or similar negative connotations between two or more people.

• Don’t listen to that fool! – ¡No le hagan caso al tonto ese!

• Do you like those slippers? They are hideous. – ¿Te gustan las zapatillas esas? Son horribles.

• They are very happy with that house there, even though it is a hovel. – Ellos están muy contentos con la casa aquella a pesar de ser un cuchitril.

With a quantifier or other adjective

When there is a quantifier or other adjective describing the noun, the demonstrative adjective is placed first.

• Those two young women are my neighbours, Nancy and Verónica. – Esas dos muchachas son mis vecinas, Nancy y Verónica.

• Who are those three new people over there? – ¿Quiénes son aquellas tres nuevas personas de por allá?

• These six red markers are mine. – Estos tres marcadores rojos son míos.

With a possessive adjective

When a possessive adjective also describes the noun, the demonstrative adjective comes before the noun, and we use the long form possessive adjective placed after the noun:

• These shoes of yours are kinda ugly. – Estos zapatos tuyos son algo feos.

• Is that boss of yours new? – ¿Ese jefe tuyo es nuevo?

• Those neighbours of mine are a bit noisy – Esos vecinos míos son un poquito ruidosos.

(Check out our post on possessive ad`jectives for a full explanation on the short form and the long form.)

Demonstrative Pronouns vs Demonstrative Adjectives

Demonstrative pronouns replace nouns in a sentence. In English the equivalents are usually this one, that one, these ones, or those ones. The Spanish demonstrative pronouns are used the same way, when we already know what we’re referring to so we just use the pronoun.

Demonstrative pronouns used to have a written accent to differentiate them from the demonstrative adjectives in Spanish, but since 2010 the accent has been dropped. As you can see in the following tables, the demonstrative pronouns and adjectives are now exactly the same.

Este / Esta: Close distance

Ese / Esa: Middle distance

Aquel / Aquella: Far distance

• I have a spare eraser. You can have this one. – Tengo un borrador adicional. Puedes quedarte con este.

• My girlfriend loves flowers. I’m going to buy her these. – A mi amiga le encantan las flores. Voy a comprarle estas.

• This avocado isn’t ripe. What about that one? – Este aguacate no está maduro. ¿Qué hay de ese?

• I don’t like this blue sweater, I like that green one. – No me gusta este suéter azul, me gusta aquel verde.

• Which computer are you buying? That one is cheap and up to date. – ¿Cuál de las computadoras comprarás? Aquella es barata y actualizada.

Conclusion

This, that, these, and those. The demonstrative adjectives in Spanish are a little more detailed than their English counterparts, but are still straightforward enough once you understand the distances each is used to describe.

We’ve covered all three distance scales for using the Spanish demonstrative adjectives, both physically and with respect to time. We covered all the forms within each of these three groups, so they always agree with the gender and number of the nouns they describe. We looked at sentence structure, including the contemptuous placement of the demonstrative adjective directly after the noun. And finally we saw how the demonstrative pronouns are now all identical to the adjectives, aside from their use within a sentence.

Now, are you ready to use these demonstrative adjectives in Spanish? – Ahora, ¿estás listo para usar estos adjetivos demostrativos en español?

Exercises

Why don’t you try out what you’ve just learned? Based on the distance noted in parentheses, fill in the blanks with the correct demonstrative adjective. Be sure to use the right form to agree with the gender and number.

1. _____ camioneta está averiada. ¿Podrías llamar una grúa? (Aquí)

2. Quiero aprender a tocar piano _____ año. (Aquí: futuro próximo)

3. En _____ días solíamos vivir en el campo. (Allá: pasado lejano)

4. _____ personas son de Colombia. Pude escuchar su acento. (Ahí)

5. ¿Podrías pasarme _____ zarcillos? No puedo alcanzarlos. (Ahí)

6. No conozco a _____ hombre. ¿Y tú? (Allá)

7. _____ muchachos son mis compañeros de clase. Se llaman Luis y Raúl. (Aquí)

8. ¿Qué hicieron durante _____ semana? Nosotros no pudimos salir porque estábamos ocupados. (Ahí: pasado reciente)

9. Vivimos en República Dominicana durante _____ años. Fuimos muy felices en esa época. (Allá: pasado lejano)

10. En _____ países se habla inglés y español, pero yo solo hablo inglés. (Ahí)

Answers

1. Esta camioneta está averiada. ¿Podrías llamar una grúa? (Aquí)

2. Quiero aprender a tocar piano este año. (Aquí: futuro próximo)

3. En aquellos días solíamos vivir en el campo. (Allá: pasado lejano)

4. Esas personas son de Colombia. Pude escuchar su acento. (Ahí)

5. ¿Podrías pasarme esos zarcillos? No puedo alcanzarlos. (Ahí)

6. No conozco a aquel hombre. ¿Y tú? (Allá)

7. Estos muchachos son mis compañeros de clase. Se llaman Luis y Raúl. (Aquí)

8. ¿Qué hicieron durante esa semana? Nosotros no pudimos salir porque estábamos ocupados. (Ahí: pasado reciente)

9. Vivimos en República Dominicana durante aquellos años. Fuimos muy felices en aquella época. (Allá: pasado lejano)

10. En esos países se habla inglés y español, pero yo solo hablo inglés. (Ahí)