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A1
Lesson 4. This, that, that over there: este / ese / aquel and aquí / ahí / allí
I can point to any thing or person — near me, not far, or far away — and name the place with aquí, ahí, or allí.
Three distances: este, ese, aquel
este — ese — aquel
A demonstrative (a word for this and that) shows what you mean and how far it is from the speaker. English this / that divides the world in two; Spanish divides it in three.
Three sets by distance: este — near me (aquí), ese — not far, near the person you're talking to (ahí), aquel — far from both of us (allí), “that … over there”. All twelve forms are in the table.
A demonstrative goes before the noun and agrees with it in gender and number: este libro, esta mesa, esos relojes, aquellas sillas. English this / these change only for number.
The endings are the usual ones except one: the masculine singular has no -o — este, ese, aquel. The rest is as usual: aquella, aquellos, aquellas.
Place words name the same distances without a noun: aquí — here, ahí — there, allí — over there. With a noun, add them with de: este coche de aquí, aquel hotel de allí.
Common mistakes:
• NOT “este mesa” — correct: esta mesa.
• NOT “ese hermanas” — correct: esas hermanas.
• NOT “aquello reloj” — correct: aquel reloj.
• NOT “aquellos página” — correct: aquella página.
• NOT “ese hotel” for a hotel far from both of you — correct: aquel hotel.
Three sets of demonstratives — by distance
The place word tells you the set: aquí — este, ahí — ese, allí — aquel.
| masc., one | fem., one | masc., many | fem., many | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| aquí — near me | este | esta | estos | estas |
| ahí — not far | ese | esa | esos | esas |
| allí — far from both of us | aquel | aquella | aquellos | aquellas |
Lesson notes
este — ese — aquel
A demonstrative (a word for this and that) shows what you mean and how far it is from the speaker. English this / that divides the world in two; Spanish divides it in three.
Three sets by distance: este — near me (aquí), ese — not far, near the person you're talking to (ahí), aquel — far from both of us (allí), “that … over there”. All twelve forms are in the table.
A demonstrative goes before the noun and agrees with it in gender and number: este libro, esta mesa, esos relojes, aquellas sillas. English this / these change only for number.
The endings are the usual ones except one: the masculine singular has no -o — este, ese, aquel. The rest is as usual: aquella, aquellos, aquellas.
Place words name the same distances without a noun: aquí — here, ahí — there, allí — over there. With a noun, add them with de: este coche de aquí, aquel hotel de allí.
Common mistakes:
• NOT “este mesa” — correct: esta mesa.
• NOT “ese hermanas” — correct: esas hermanas.
• NOT “aquello reloj” — correct: aquel reloj.
• NOT “aquellos página” — correct: aquella página.
• NOT “ese hotel” for a hotel far from both of you — correct: aquel hotel.