Demonstrative pronouns are used to show the location of the noun(s) they replace. They are the equivalent to “this one”, “these”, “that one”, & “those”. In Spanish they must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify.
There are 3 categories of demonstrative pronouns in Spanish that relate to the distance of the noun being spoken about from the speaker.
Group 1. Noun is near the speaker
Group 2. Noun is near the person being spoken to
Group 3. Noun is far from both the speaker and the person being spoken to
Group #1 (Noun is near speaker)
| masculine singular | feminine singular | masculine plural | feminine plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| éste | ésta | éstos | éstas |
| éste (libro) éstos (libros) | this one (book) these (books) |
Group #2 (Noun is near person being spoken to)
| masculine singular | feminine singular | masculine plural | feminine plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ése | ésa | ésos | ésas |
| ése (libro) ésos (libros) | this one (book) these (books) |
Group #3 (Noun is far from speaker and person being spoken to)
| masculine singular | feminine singular | masculine plural | feminine plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| aquél | aquélla | aquéllos | aquéllas |
| aquél (edificio) aquéllos (edificios) | this one (book) these (books) |