What Are Spanish Demonstrative Pronouns? Explanation + Sentence Examples

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Maybe you remember learning the mnemonic device “‘This’ and ‘these’ have Ts, while ‘that’ and ‘those’ don’t” in Spanish class. Or perhaps you’ve just watched the Spanish film Ésta es mi vida (This Is My Life) to practice your listening skills. Either way, demonstrative pronouns are likely familiar if you’ve been trying to learn Spanish.

Demonstrative pronouns, like other Spanish pronouns, are useful for avoiding repetition. By understanding what they are and how they are used in sentences, you can express yourself more effectively and fluently in Spanish, whether referring to objects, people, or places. 

What are Spanish demonstrative pronouns? 

Spanish demonstrative pronouns are the English equivalent of “this, “these,” “that,” and “those.” They streamline communication by replacing “demonstrative pronoun + noun” phrases when the noun has already been mentioned or identified.

For example:

• Mi abrigo es más calentito que este abrigo. = My coat is warmer than this coat. 

This sentence is grammatically correct; however, a demonstrative pronoun could be used to replace mi abrigo for a more natural, concise statement.

• Mi abrigo es más calentito que este. = My coat is warmer than this one. 

Spanish demonstrative pronouns chart 

The table below reviews the 12 demonstrative pronouns used to point out specific objects, people, or places.

Unlike many Spanish words, demonstrative pronouns are accent-free. However, you may come across accent marks on the first letter of demonstrative pronouns in older texts. For example, in the novel Don Quixote, Sancho Panza asks, ¿Qué redoma y qué bálsamo es ése? (“What flask and what balm is that?”) Historically, demonstrative pronouns in Spanish carried accent marks, but the Real Academia Española (RAE) later removed them. 

How to use pronombres demostrativos (demonstrative pronouns) in sentences

To use demonstrative pronouns in sentences correctly, review the following key concepts. 

Use the demonstrative pronoun that agrees with the noun it replaces in number and gender 

All Spanish nouns have a number (singular or plural) and a gender (masculine or feminine). When using demonstrative pronouns, they must agree in number and gender with the Spanish nouns they replace. This Spanish grammar rule is essential for choosing the correct demonstrative pronoun.

The following examples show how demonstrative pronouns agree with the nouns they replace in number and gender. 

• Este es el mejor café que he probado en mi vida. = This is the best coffee I’ve ever tasted.
• Esa chaqueta es la tuya y esta es la mía. La mía tiene cinturón. = That jacket is yours and this one is mine. Mine has a belt. 
• Mis zapatos son más lindos que estos. = My shoes are nicer than these ones.  
• Estas no son las flores que quería. = These are not the flowers I wanted.

If you’re struggling with Spanish gender rules in grammar, there are helpful tips and tricks to help you determine the gender of a noun correctly every time. 

Select the demonstrative pronoun based on the proximity of the noun to the speaker 

One way to remember the demonstrative pronouns is through three distinct groups categorized by the proximity between the speaker and the noun being replaced.

To replace a noun that is close to the speaker, use este, esta, estos, or estas. 

• Este es mi carro nuevo. = This is my new car. 
• Esta es la llave de la casa nueva. = This is the key to the new house. 
• No quiero esos pepinos. Quiero estos. = I don’t want those cucumbers. I want these.
• De todas las flores, estas son las más hermosas. = Out of all the flowers, these are the prettiest. 

To replace a noun that is away from the speaker but close to the listener, use ese, esa, esos, or esas.

• Este televisor cuesta más que ese. = This television costs more than that one. 
• Me gustan todas las bufandas, pero voy a comprar esa. = I like all the scarves, but I’m going to buy that one. 
• Esos no son míos. = Those aren’t mine. 
• Esas son mis mejores amigas. = Those are my best friends. 

To replace a noun that is further away from the speaker and listener, use aquel, aquella, aquellos, or aquellas. 

• Aquel es el Salto Ángel. = That is Angel Falls. 
• ¿Qué chica es tu hermana? ¿Aquella de allá? = Which girl is your sister? That one over there? 
• Aquellos son robles. = Those are oak trees. 
• Aquellas de allá son las tuyas. = Those ones over there are yours. 

When to use demonstrative pronouns in Spanish 

Demonstrative pronouns have a variety of uses and practical applications. 

Use demonstrative pronouns to identify specific objects, people, or places

Imagine taking a group of kindergartners to a zoo. You’ll use a variety of demonstrative pronouns to point out different animals at varying proximities to yourself. 

• Esta es una salamandra. = This is a salamander. (close) 
• Esas son nutrias. = Those are otters. (not close)
• Aquellos son cerdos hormigueros. = Those are aardvarks. (far away)

Use demonstrative pronouns to replace specific nouns to avoid repetition in a conversation

If you’re familiar with Spanish object pronouns, you already know how useful pronouns can be in reducing repetition. Spanish demonstrative pronouns replace “demonstrative adjective + noun” phrases to make a conversation more efficient.

Imagine you’re shopping in a mall in Bogotá. You overhear two women talking about dresses, but you don’t actually hear them use the word vestido throughout their conversation. Instead, they’re probably using demonstrative pronouns like este (this) and ese (that) to refer to specific dresses, making the conversation more efficient and less repetitive. 

For example, if one of the women asked, ¿Cuál de los tres vestidos es tu favorito?, the other woman could respond: 

• Este vestido es mi favorito. = This dress is my favorite. 

Or she could say:

• Este es mi favorito. = This one is my favorite. 

While both answers are grammatically correct, the demonstrative pronoun este can be used to replace the noun phrase este vestido. 

Use demonstrative pronouns for emphasizing or contrasting

Demonstrative pronouns can also be used to emphasize preferences or contrast items.

Imagine a future bride and groom tasting different food items for their wedding and using demonstrative pronouns to express their preferences.  You may hear: 

• ¿Qué torta prefieres, esta o esa? = Which cake do you prefer, this one or that one? 
• Prefiero esta. = I prefer this one. 

When to use the neuter demonstrative pronouns esto, eso, and aquello

The neuter demonstrative pronouns esto (this), eso (that), and aquello (that) are always masculine and singular. This is because they are used to refer to things that are neutral and that don’t have a specific gender, such as abstract ideas and situations. Unlike other demonstrative pronouns, such as este and ese, they do not follow the rules of gender and number agreement.

Neuter demonstrative pronouns in Spanish serve a variety of purposes. 

Use neuter demonstrative pronouns when the object’s gender is unknown

Building a robust Spanish vocabulary takes time. If you encounter an unfamiliar noun, you can use a neuter demonstrative pronoun to identify it.

For example: 

• ¿Sabes cómo se llama esto? = Do you know what this is called? 
• ¿Qué es eso? = What is that? 
• Todo aquello de allá es mío. = All of that over there is mine. 

Use neuter demonstrative pronouns to make general statements

To make a general statement, you can use a neuter demonstrative pronoun followed by the third person form of ser (to be) in a variety of tenses.

• Esto es divertido. = This is fun. 
• Eso seria genial. = That would be great. 

Use neuter demonstrative pronouns to refer to abstract ideas. 

In Spanish, abstract ideas can be indicated with neuter demonstrative pronouns, which do not have a gender.

• Entiendo eso. He estado en una situación similar antes. = I understand that. I’ve been in a similar situation before. 
• Cada vez que voy a ese restaurante, el servicio es muy lento. Odio eso.= Whenever I go to that restaurant, the service is really slow. I hate that.  

Demonstrative pronouns vs. demonstrative adjectives 

Demonstrative pronouns and demonstrative adjectives have the same forms and can often be a cause of confusion among Spanish language learners. When deciding which one to use, it’s helpful to be familiar with Spanish parts of speech. Adjectives describe or modify nouns, while pronouns can be used to replace them.

For example: 

• ¿Quieres este libro? No, quiero ese. = Do you want this book? No, I want that one. 

The question uses the demonstrative adjective este before the noun to specify the object, whereas the answer uses a demonstrative pronoun to replace the noun. 

4 key takeaways for using Spanish demonstrative pronouns effortlessly

From shopping to pointing out animals at a zoo, demonstrative pronouns have a variety of practical, everyday uses. To practice using them in real-world scenarios, try applying these key takeaways in your next Rosetta Stone Live Lesson. 

• Demonstrative pronouns in Spanish are equivalent to “this,” “these,” “that,” and “those” in English.
• Demonstrative pronouns replace noun phrases to reduce repetition. 
• With the exception of the neuter forms, demonstrative pronouns must agree in gender and number with the noun they replace. 
• Use the neuter pronouns esto, eso, and aquello to refer to abstract ideas and objects with an unknown gender.