Adjetivos demostrativos

Adjetivos demostrativos

by Carlos Dávila

​Adjetivos demostrativos / Demonstrative adjectives

• As the name implies, Spanish demonstrative adjectives demonstrate a quality about the noun they modify. In this case, that quality is the location in respect to the speaker or the listener. Spanish demonstrative adjectives can be translated as this, that, these, or those.

• Spanish has three sets of demonstrative adjectives, each of which has four different forms that vary by gender and number.​

​Este / Esta

​

Este / Esta is used to describe a noun that is close to the speaker and listener. It is normally used to talk about something within reaching distance of the speaker.

​Here are the four forms este can take in Spanish.

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Multiple Choice

Este restaurante es mi favorito

• that restaurant is my favorite

• this restaurant is my favorite

• this restaurant is not my favorite

• that restaurant is not my favorite

Multiple Choice

This blouse is very pretty

• este blusa es muy bonita

• esta blusa es muy bonito

• este blusa es muy bonito

• esta blusa es muy bonita

Multiple Choice

These burritos are delicious!

• ¡estos burritos son deliciosos!

• ¡estas burritos son deliciosos!

• ¡estos burritos son deliciosas!

• ¡estas burritos son deliciosas!

Multiple Choice

Estas casas son muy grandes

• these houses is very big

• these house are very big

• these houses are very big

• these house are very big

​Ese

​

Ese/Esa is used to point out nouns that are further from the speaker and not easily within reach. The noun may be close to the listener, but not the speaker.

​Here are the four forms ese can take in Spanish.

Multiple Choice

Yo quiero ese carro azul

• I want that red car

• I want that blue car

• I want that blue cars

• I want this blue car

Multiple Choice

me gustan esos zapatos rojos

• I like those blue shoes

• I like these red shoes

• I like those red shoes

• I like those blue shoe

Multiple Choice

Bring me that white shirt, please

• traéme esa camisa blanca, por favor

• traéme ese camisa blanca, por favor 

• traéme esa camisas blancas, por favor

• traéme ese camisas blancas, por favor 

Multiple Choice

those flowers are my favorite

• estas flores son mis favoritas

• esas flores son mi favorita

• esas flores son mis favoritas

• esos flores son mis favoritas

​

Aquel is used to talk about nouns that are far away from both the speaker and the listener.

Here are the four forms aquel can take in Spanish

Multiple Choice

aquella chica es muy guapa

• that girl over here is very pretty

• that girl over there is very pretty

• those girls over there are very pretty

• those girl over there are very pretty

Multiple Choice

aquel león es muy peligroso

• that lion over there is very dangerous

• that lions over here is very dangerous

• those lions over there are very dangerous

• that lion over here is very dangerous

Multiple Choice

aquellos edificios son los más viejos de la ciudad

• these buildings over here are the oldest in the city

• those buildings over here are the oldest in the city

• these buildings over there are the oldest in the city

• those buildings over there are the oldest in the city

Multiple Choice

aquellas rosas son bellas

• those roses over there are beautiful

• these roses over there are beautiful

• those roses over here are beautiful

• these roses over here are beautiful

​Demonstrative Adjective Placement

​Demonstrative adjectives are typically placed immediately before the nouns they modify.

Ejemplos:

Estos libros y esos periódicos son buenos.

These books and those magazines are good.

Esta casa y aquel apartamento son lindos.

This house and that apartment over there are nice.