Aquellos vs Esos: Demonstrative Adjectives and Pronouns in Spanish

Have you ever wondered what’s the difference between aquellos vs esos? You’ve probably already come across these words in your Spanish studies. Do you know how to use them? 

If not, this guide is designed to help you understand the difference between these two demonstrative adjectives and pronouns in Spanish!

Imagine you have two cakes in front of you, and you have to choose which one you prefer. In English, you would simply say “this one” or “that one”. Well, in Spanish, you would say este or ese. These words replace the noun. 

So, you don’t have to say 

Quiero el pastel de la derecha. 
I want the cake on the right. 

Instead, you simply say 

Quiero esto. 
I want this one. 

Of course, it’s a bit more complicated than that. In the example above, I used both demonstrative adjectives and pronouns. I’ll explain everything in detail so you know how to use aquellos vs esos and learn the difference between demonstrative adjectives and demonstrative pronouns in Spanish.

Spanish Demonstrative Pronouns

In Spanish, we use los pronombres demostrativos to demonstrate or identify the noun. 

There are three distinct Spanish demonstrative pronouns with different uses:

• Este
• Ese
• Aquel

Take note: In the past, Spanish demonstrative pronouns had a tilde (accent mark) to differentiate them from demonstrative adjectives. However, the RAE (Real Academia Española) has ruled that demonstrative pronouns no longer require the written accent.

Este

We use this demonstrative pronoun to describe something that is physically close to the speaker. In English, it is translated into “this” or “these.” Since these pronouns are replacing a noun, they have to match its gender and number. 

	Singular	Plural
Feminine	Esta	Estas
Masculine	Este	Estos

Here are some examples:

Mi carro es mejor que este.
My car is better than this one.

Yo quiero esta.
I want this one.

Toma estas.
Take these.

Yo prefiero estos.
I prefer these shoes.

Mi dibujo es más bonito que este.
My drawing is prettier than this one.

Ese

Ese translates to “that” or “those” in English. It is used to describe something that is further away from the speaker. 

	Singular	Plural
Feminine	Esa	Esas
Masculine	Ese	Esos

Check out these examples:

Ese es para tu hermana.
That one is for your sister.

¿Te gusta esa?
Do you like that one?

No me gustan esos.
I don’t like those.

¿Cuánto cuesta ese?
How much does that one?

Esas son muy pequeñas.
Those are very small.

Aquel

Aquel also translates to “that” or “those.” However, the difference between aquellos vs esos is that aquel is used to describe objects that are far away from the speaker.

	Singular	Plural
Feminine	Aquella	Aquellas
Masculine	Aquel	Aquellos

Look at these examples:

Aquel es el edificio más alto de la ciudad.
That one over there is the tallest building in the city.

Aquellos son mis hermanos mayores.
Those over there are my older siblings.

¿Te acuerdas de aquella vez?
Do you remember that one time?

Spanish Demonstrative Adjectives

In Spanish, we use adjetivos demostrativos to demonstrate a quality of the noun they are modifying. They translate to “this,” “that,” “these,” or “those.”

Just like the pronouns, there are three demonstrative adjectives in Spanish: 

• Este
• Ese
• Aquel

As you can see, they’re the exact same words! However, they’re used differently from the demonstrative pronouns. Luckily, it’s easy to tell whether one of them is being used as a pronoun or an adjective.

A demonstrative adjective always comes directly before the noun. (This is in contrast to the typical rule which places adjectives in Spanish after the noun, as in el gato negro—the black cat.)  It also matches with the gender and the number of the noun.

Let’s look at each demonstrative adjective in detail.

Este

We use este to talk about something that is within reach of the speaker. It translates to “this” or “these.” The gender and number is the same as the demonstrative pronouns, but look at the chart again to keep it fresh in your mind.

	Singular	Plural
Feminine	Esta	Estas
Masculine	Este	Estos

Look at these examples to understand how they’re used:

Este restaurante es mi favorito.
This restaurant is my favorite.

Esta blusa no me gusta.
I don’t like this shirt.

Estos libros me gustaron.
I liked these books.

Estas flores son de color rojo.
These flowers are color red.

Esta película es la favorita de mi mamá.
This movie is my mom’s favorite.

Do you see the difference between these examples and the ones of the demonstrative pronouns? The key is the position of este in the sentence. 

Ese

Ese is used to point out nouns that are further from the speaker, or objects that are not easily within reach. It translates to “that” or “those.”

	Singular	Plural
Feminine	Esa	Esas
Masculine	Ese	Esos

Check out these examples:

Quiero esa blusa morada.
I want that purple scarf.

¿Puedes traerme esa caja?
Could you bring me that box?

Esos libros son de mi papá.
Those books are my father’s.

Quiero comprar esas flores.
I want to buy those flowers.

Ese carro es muy rápido.
That car is very fast.

Aquel

Again, we use aquel to talk about objects that are far away from the speaker. Aquel also translates to “that” or “those.”

	Singular	Plural
Feminine	Aquella	Aquellas
Masculine	Aquel	Aquellos

Look at these examples:

Aquella chica es mi mejor amiga.
That girl over there is my best friend.

Aquellos edificios son muy altos.
Those buildings over there are very tall.

Aquellas nubes tienen formas de animales.
Those clouds over there have animal shapes.

¡Practica Estos Demostrativos!

I hope you understand the difference between demonstrative adjectives and pronouns and when to use aquellos vs esos. Now it is time to get some practice! 

Sign up for a free class! Talk with our native Spanish-speaking teachers from Guatemala. They’re prepared to meet you at your level and would love to help you get all the practice you need. You’ll be able to practice the demonstrative adjectives and pronouns with them, and any other subject you’re struggling with! Don’t miss out on this opportunity to have a one-on-one conversation with a professional Spanish teacher.

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