In: Level A2, Pronouns, Pronombre, Pronombre demostrativo

In Spanish, to express this, this one or these ones we use the demonstrative pronouns: este, esta, estos, estas and esto.

As with all pronouns they are not accompanied by a noun. The noun they refer to will have been mentioned before.

Have a look and listen to these examples:

Este coche es feo, sin embargo este me encanta.This car is ugly, however, I love this one.

La niña rubia es María y esta es Claudia.The blond girl is María and this one is Claudia.

Estos cuadernos son para el profesor y estos son para los alumnos.These notebooks are for the teacher and these ones are for the students.

Estas chicas vienen a una reunión y estas vienen a una entrevista.These girls are coming for a meeting and these ones for an interview.

The pronouns agree in gender and number with the noun they are refering to:

	Masculine	Feminine
Singular (this one)	este	esta
Plural (these ones)	estos	estas

Referring to an idea

When the pronoun is refering to an idea, then we use the neutral pronoun esto, and there is only one form. It could be translated as "this thing".

Have a look and listen to the following examples:

Esto es muy útil.This is very useful.

Esto es muy desagradable.This is very unpleasant.

Esto no es lo que yo dije.This is not what I said.

These same forms can be used accompanied by nouns as demonstrative adjectives, see Using este, esta, estos, estas to say this/these (demonstrative adjectives).

Learn more about these related Spanish grammar topics

Pronombre

Pronombre demostrativo

Examples and resources

Esto es muy útil.This is very useful.

La niña rubia es María y esta es Claudia.The blond girl is María and this one is Claudia.

Esto es muy desagradable.This is very unpleasant.

Estas chicas vienen a una reunión y estas vienen a una entrevista.These girls are coming for a meeting and these ones for an interview.

Esto no es lo que yo dije.This is not what I said.

Este coche es feo, sin embargo este me encanta.This car is ugly, however, I love this one.

Estos cuadernos son para el profesor y estos son para los alumnos.These notebooks are for the teacher and these ones are for the students.

Q&A Forum 1 question, 2 answers

LynA2Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Using demonstrative pronouns: este/esta & sacamos/tomamos

Tomamos esa foto en Madrid pero tomamos éste en Barcelona.

Please, why is este marked wrong and esta given as the correct one? I can't work out why foto (masc) has esta (female) and not este. Is it because its BarcelonA?

And why sacamos and not tomamos?

Gracias.

Asked 10 months ago

Like0Answer2

InmaKwiziq team member

Hola Lyn

"Foto" is a feminine noun, although it looks masculine because of its ending -o.

The noun foto is short for "fotografía" (photography) -> la foto, esta foto, esa foto...

In regards to sacar or tomar fotos, they are both correct. Tomar is maybe more commonly used in Latin America.

Hope this helps.

Saludos

Inma

Like010 months ago

LynA2Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Thank you Inma for your prompt and helpful reply. Now I understand!

Felicitations

Lyn