Demonstratives (este, esse, aquele)
Demonstratives (este, esse, aquele) 🇵🇹
Portuguese has three sets of demonstratives, based on distance from the speaker and listener — a more precise system than English "this/that".
| Distance | Masc. Sing. | Fem. Sing. | Masc. Pl. | Fem. Pl. | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Near the speaker | este | esta | estes | estas | this / these |
| Near the listener | esse | essa | esses | essas | that / those (near you) |
| Far from both | aquele | aquela | aqueles | aquelas | that / those (over there) |
Neuter Forms
Use the invariable neuter forms isto, isso, and aquilo when referring to an idea or an unspecified thing, rather than a specific noun:
- O que é isto? – What is this?
- Isso não é verdade. – That's not true.
Contractions
Like articles, demonstratives contract with de and em:
| Preposition | + este/esta | + esse/essa | + aquele/aquela |
|---|---|---|---|
| de | deste / desta | desse / dessa | daquele / daquela |
| em | neste / nesta | nesse / nessa | naquele / naquela |
Tip: Think of it as three zones: este = in my hand, esse = in your hand, aquele = over there, away from both of us.