The main rule
Choose the word by distance: este is near the speaker, ese near the listener or a little further, aquel far from both. Then match it to the noun in gender and number: esta casa, esos libros. Before a noun use only these agreeing forms; esto, eso and aquello are for a thing you have not named.
The forms
| Distance | Masculine | Feminine | Masculine plural | Feminine plural | Neuter (no noun named) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| near me (aquí) | este | esta | estos | estas | esto |
| near you (ahí) | ese | esa | esos | esas | eso |
| far from both (allí) | aquel | aquella | aquellos | aquellas | aquello |
English has two distances, "this" and "that". Spanish splits "that" in two: ese is the one near the person you are talking to, aquel is the one far from both of you. In everyday speech many people use ese for both kinds of "that", and aquel is kept for things that are clearly far away, so you can start with este and ese and add aquel as you go. The bigger change is agreement. English "this" and "that" only change in the plural ("these", "those"), but Spanish forms also follow the gender of the noun, so you must know that camisa is feminine and zapatos is masculine plural. Say esta camisa, never *este camisa.
Examples
- Esta camisa cuesta veinte euros. This shirt costs twenty euros.
- ¿Cuánto cuestan esos zapatos de ahí? How much are those shoes next to you?
- Aquella iglesia de allí es muy antigua. That church over there is very old.
- Estas manzanas son para ti. These apples are for you.
- Este mapa es muy bueno. This map is very good.
- Esta es mi hermana Elena. This is my sister Elena.
- Estos son mis amigos Mario y Ana. These are my friends Mario and Ana.
- ¿Qué es esto? - Es un regalo. What is this? - It's a present.
- Quiero esta. - ¿Esta o esa? I want this one. - This one or that one?
- Prefiero aquellos, los de allí. I prefer those over there.
Three distances
Think of where the thing is. In your hand or next to you: este (aquí). In the listener's hand or next to them: ese (ahí). Far from both, on the hill or at the end of the street: aquel (allí). You can contrast all three in one sentence: Esta silla de aquí, esa de ahí y aquella de allí. The place words aquí, ahí and allí often come with them, but they are not needed: the demonstrative alone already shows the distance.
Agreement
The form follows the noun, not the speaker. Use este and esos with masculine nouns, esta and aquellas with feminine ones, and the plural with a plural noun: estos zapatos, aquellas montañas. Nouns with an unexpected gender keep it: este día, este mapa, esta mano, esta foto, esta moto. For a group of boys and girls, or of mixed people, use the masculine plural: estos chicos, esos amigos.
Esto, eso, aquello: a thing with no name
Esto, eso and aquello never go before a noun and have no plural. They point at something you cannot name, do not know, or do not want to name: ¿Qué es esto? ¿Qué es eso? Eso es todo (at a shop counter). Once the noun is there, use este or ese: este libro, not *esto libro. A person is never esto: say Esta es mi abuela, not *Esto es mi abuela.
Without a noun
When the noun is clear from the situation, drop it and keep the agreeing form: Quiero esta. ¿Este o ese? Prefiero aquellos. The ending still shows the gender and number of the thing you mean.
A quick check
Ask two questions. Is the noun named? If yes, use este / ese / aquel and match the noun. If not, use esto / eso / aquello. Then ask where the thing is: with me, with you, or far from us both.
Typical mistakes
*Este camisaEsta camisa Camisa is feminine, so the demonstrative is feminine too.*Esta zapatosEstos zapatos Zapatos is masculine plural: match gender and number.*Aquellos casasAquellas casas Casas is feminine plural.*Esto libroEste libro Before a named noun use este, never esto.*Esto es mi hermana.Esta es mi hermana. A person is not esto: it agrees with the person.*Este manoEsta mano Mano is feminine, although it ends in -o.*Estes librosEstos libros There is no estes (and no eses): the plural of este is estos.*Aquela casaAquella casa Aquella is written with two l.
Common questions
What is the difference between este, ese and aquel?
They show distance. Este is near the speaker, ese is near the listener or a bit away, aquel is far from both. In everyday speech ese is often used for both kinds of "that".
How do I say "this" and "that" in Spanish?
"This" is este, esta, estos or estas, and "that" is ese or aquel in the same forms. Choose the ending to match the noun: esta casa, esos libros.
What is the difference between esto and este?
Este (esta, estos, estas) goes with a named noun: este libro. Esto stands alone for something you cannot name: ¿Qué es esto? You never say esto libro.
How do I say "these" for boys and girls together?
Use the masculine plural: estos chicos. A mixed group is masculine plural in Spanish.
Do I write an accent on the demonstratives?
No. The current spelling rules (RAE, 2010) write them without an accent, also when there is no noun: Quiero esta.
Can I say "This is my sister" with esto?
No. For a person use the form that matches: Esta es mi hermana, Este es mi hermano. Esto is only for an unnamed thing.