A1 Spanish grammar
Spanish Demonstrative Adjectives: Este, Ese, and Aquel
Spanish demonstrative adjectives point to a specific noun and show its relative distance. Use forms of este for something near the speaker, ese for something farther away or near the listener, and aquel for something distant.
Match Spanish demonstrative adjectives to distance
Choose the este, ese, or aquel family according to whether the noun is near the speaker, farther away, or distant from both people.
Este libro es interesante.Quick check
Choose “this book” near you.
Match gender and number
Use masculine, feminine, singular, or plural forms that agree with the noun: este libro, esta casa, estos libros, and estas casas.
¿Cuánto cuesta esa camisa?Place the demonstrative before its noun
In the beginner pattern, put the demonstrative directly before the noun and do not add an article: esa mesa, not la esa mesa.
Aquellas montañas son altas.Common mistakes
Este casa
Esta casa
The demonstrative must match the feminine noun casa.
Las esas mesas
Esas mesas
Do not add a definite article before a demonstrative adjective.
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Demonstrative adjectives FAQ
What are Spanish demonstrative adjectives?
They are forms of este, ese, and aquel placed before nouns to show which one and how far away it is.
What is the difference between este and ese?
Este points to something near the speaker. Ese usually points to something farther away or near the listener.
When do I use aquel?
Use aquel and its related forms for something far from both speaker and listener.
Do demonstrative adjectives have written accents?
No. Modern standard spelling writes demonstrative adjectives without accent marks.