Libro digital Herramientas de español
Spanish Tools Online Grammar Book

19. Demonstratives / Los demostrativos

near the speaker not too far, often near
the person being addressed		 remote
this
este
esta		 these
estos
estas		 that
ese
esa		 those
esos
esas		 that over there
aquel
aquella		 those over there
aquellos
aquellas
esto eso aquello
Pienso llevar estos libros a la biblioteca.
¿Por qué quieres leer ese poema?
¿Quién es aquel señor?
Aquellos árboles son pinos. 		I'm planning to take these books to the library.
Why do you want to read that poem?
Who is that gentleman?
Those trees over there are pine trees.

• The same words are used as pronouns (accent marks can be used to indicate they are pronouns in cases of potential misunderstanding):

Esa foto es buena, pero prefiero esta.
Este restaurante está cerrado, pero aquel no. 		That photo is good, but I prefer this one.
This restaurant is closed, but that one isn't.
The neuter pronouns esto, eso and aquello are invariable. They are used to refer to unidentified objects (gender unspecified), ideas or situations in a general sense:
¿Qué es eso que tienes en la mano?
¿Esto? Es un celular supermoderno.
No estoy de acuerdo con eso.		 What's that (thing) you have in your hand?
This? It's an ultramodern cell phone.
I do not agree with that.

• Spanish uses definite articles for expressions like "those who...":

Los que leen mucho, aprenden.
El que busca, encuentra. 		Those who read a lot, learn.
The one who seeks, will find.

• English “like this/that” is usually expressed by así:

Un problema así.
¿Siempre habla así? 		A problem like this.
Does she/he always speaks like that?

PRÁCTICA 19A.  Complete the following paragraph with the correct form of 'this'.

PRÁCTICA 19B.  Complete the following paragraph with the correct form of 'that'.

PRÁCTICA 19C. Exprese en buen español.

1. Those who serve are happy. I smile when I serve.
2. Are you planning (use pensar) to buy this cell phone? No, I prefer that one.
3. Do you understand these poems? Yes, and I want to read those, too.
4. What do you think of the national economy? Oh, I do not understand much about (de) that.
5. What is that? This is an ultramodern electronic watch. It works (funciona) like this.
6. Do you see those tourists over there? What is their (su) nationality?
7. Some of these short stories begin very interestingly. 		V
1. Los que sirven, son felices. Sonrío cuando sirvo.
2. ¿Piensas comprar este celular? No, prefiero ese.
3. ¿Entiendes estos poemas? Sí, y quiero leer esos también.
4. ¿Qué piensas de la economía nacional? Oh, no entiendo mucho de eso.
5. ¿Qué es eso? Esto es un reloj electrónico supermoderno. Funciona así.
6. ¿Ves a aquellos turistas? ¿Cuál es su nacionalidad?
7. Algunos de estos cuentos empiezan (comienzan) de (una) manera muy interesante.
DE DEMOSTRATIVOS
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