What Are Demonstrative Pronouns?
Demonstrative pronouns are words that indicate the location of something or someone in relation to the speaker and the listener. In Portuguese, the main demonstrative pronouns are:
- este, esta, estes, estas (this, these)
- esse, essa, esses, essas (that, those – near the listener)
- aquele, aquela, <b;aqueles, aquelas (that, those – far from both speaker and listener)
Each form agrees in gender and number with the noun it replaces or describes.
How to Use Este and Its Variants
Este and its forms (esta, estes, estas) are used to refer to something that is close to the speaker. Think of it as the equivalent of “this” or “these” in English.
Examples:
- Este livro é interessante. (This book is interesting.)
- Esta cadeira é confortável. (This chair is comfortable.)
- Estes sapatos são novos. (These shoes are new.)
- Estas flores são bonitas. (These flowers are beautiful.)
Use este forms when the object or person is physically close to you, the speaker.
How to Use Aquele and Its Variants
Aquele and its forms (aquela, <b;aqueles, <b;aquelas) refer to something that is far from both the speaker and the listener. In English, this is similar to “that” or “those” when the object is distant from everyone involved.
Examples:
- Aquele carro é rápido. (That car over there is fast.)
- Aquela casa é antiga. (That house over there is old.)
- Aqueles meninos estão jogando. (Those boys over there are playing.)
- Aquelas árvores são altas. (Those trees over there are tall.)
Use aquele forms for things or people that are far away from both you and the person you’re talking to.
What About Esse?
Between este (near the speaker) and aquele (far from both), there is esse and its forms (essa, esses, essas). These are used for things close to the listener, but not the speaker. Imagine you are talking to someone who is holding a book; you would refer to it as esse livro (that book) because it’s close to them.
Gender and Number Agreement
Portuguese demonstrative pronouns must match the gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural) of the noun they refer to:
- Masculine Singular: este, esse, aquele
- Feminine Singular: esta, essa, aquela
- Masculine Plural: estes, esses, aqueles
- Feminine Plural: estas, essas, aquelas
Using Demonstrative Pronouns Without a Noun
Sometimes, demonstrative pronouns stand alone, replacing the noun entirely:
- Gostei deste. (I liked this one.)
- Aquela é minha favorita. (That one over there is my favorite.)
In these cases, the pronoun still agrees in gender and number with the noun it replaces.
Tips for Mastery
- Practice using demonstrative pronouns in everyday situations with a language partner or using AI tools like Talkpal.
- Remember the reference point: este (near you), esse (near the listener), aquele (far from both).
- Pay attention to gender and number agreement to sound more natural in conversation.
Conclusion
Mastering demonstrative pronouns like este and aquele is a crucial step in becoming fluent in Portuguese. They help you be precise and clear in your communication, whether you’re speaking or writing. For more tips and practice, check out other articles on the Talkpal AI language learning blog and keep practicing with native speakers or AI language tools. With regular use, these pronouns will soon become second nature!
