Most languages divide the world in two parts: something remote and something close. The Spanish language has a three-part world division:
- aquí: here (close to the speaker)
- ahí: there (not very far from the speaker, and close to the interlocutor)
- allí: over there (quite far from the speaker and the interlocutor)
Demonstrative pronouns correspond to this three-part division. So sometimes they cannot be clearly translated: depending on the situation we can use various expressions.
Demonstrative pronouns-determinants
There are three groups of pronouns in Spanish, that act as determinants. They can be changed by gender and number:
- Pronouns of proximity:
|
masculino
|
femenino
|
|
| singular |
este
|
esta
|
| plural |
estos
|
estas
|
- Pronouns of nearness:
|
masculino
|
femenino
|
|
| singular |
ese
|
esa
|
| plural |
esos
|
esas
|
- Pronouns of remoteness:
|
masculino
|
femenino
|
|
| singular |
aquel
|
aquella
|
| plural |
aquellos
|
aquellas
|
Examples:
Este chico es guapo – This boy is handsome
Esta chica es lista – This girl is clever
Esos zapatos son cómodos – Those shoes are comfortable
Aquel edificio es el ayuntamiento – That building is the city hall
Like other determinants, demonstrative pronouns take the most left position in the nominal group:
Esa chica vestida de rojo – This girl dressed in red
Este largo invierno – This long winter
In colloquial speech, though, demonstrative pronouns can be used in the position of adjectives. In this case, the nominal group should go with the definite article. As a rule, such construction means disapproval or contemptuous attitude to the object of speech:
La chica esa = Esa chica que no se porta bien – This girl... (Compare with Esta chica – This girl)
El tonto este = Este chico que es muy tonto – This stupid boy...
Demonstrative pronouns of neuter gender
Demonstrative pronouns of neuter gender do not determine the nominal group but substitute it. Their signified can be a separate object, or a whole situation. There are also three pronouns of this kind.
Demonstrative of an object:
- esto: this (close to the speaker)
- eso: that (not very far from the speaker, and close to the interlocutor)
- aquello: that (far)
Shop assistant: ¿Qué desea? – What would you like?
Client: Eso, por favor – That one, please (pointing with a finger at the object close to the shop assistant)
Shop assistant: ¿Esto? – That one? (pointing with a finger at the object next to him/her)
Demonstrative of the whole situation:
- esto: what is happening to the speaker
- eso: what is happening to the listener or what has happened recently
- aquello: what happened long ago
–No quiero entrar en la universidad – I don’t want to enter the University
–Eso no me gusta nada – This (your decision) I don’t like at all.
–Esto es así, y punto – This (my decision) is so, there’s nothing to be discussed–Aquello que me comentaste al año pasado (=la situación, la propuesta, todo lo que me comentaste el año pasado) ha salido mal – That, what you told me last year, hasn’t worked
Independent use of demonstrative pronouns
If the noun has been mentioned before and can be reconstructed by the context, it is usually omitted. In this case, it can be replaced by demonstrative pronouns:
–¿Qué vestido te gusta? – Which dress do you like?
–Este rojo. No, ese de lunares. (=Este vestido rojo. No, ese vestido de lunares) – This red one. Not the polka-dotted one.
Demonstrative pronouns signifying a situation can go with defined words, usually with a preposition de:
– Eso de Javier (=la situación en la que está involucrado Javier) me preocupa mucho – What’s going on with Javier worries me
–Esto de levantarme a las seis es muy duro – The fact that I have to get up at sixis quite hard for me
These brief constructions are very often used in colloquial speech. They should be translated with subordinate clauses.
Until 2003, the demonstrative pronouns used independently were to have the graphic accent to avoid ambiguity:
¿Por qué compraron aquéllos (subject) libros usados (complement)? – Why did those (people) by old books?
¿Por qué compraron (subject omitted)____ aquellos libros usados (complement)? – Why did (they) buy old books?
According to the new rules of the Royal Academy (where this example is taken from) graphic accent is not recommended, though it’s allowed.