Os Pronomes Demonstrativos

Portuguese has a three-way demonstrative system: not just “this” and “that” but three distances:

1. Este / esta (this) — near the speaker
2. Esse / essa (that) — near the listener
3. Aquele / aquela (that over there) — far from both

Each set also has neuter forms (isto, isso, aquilo) for things whose gender is unspecified or for abstract ideas.

The three-way distance is one of the things that makes Portuguese feel spatially different from English or Spanish (which uses a similar three-way: este, ese, aquel). Italian, French, and English have collapsed to two distances; Portuguese, like Spanish, keeps three.

Mastering this system is the difference between “I speak Portuguese” and “I speak Portuguese precisely.”

The three-distance system

Visualise it

• Este = what’s near YOU (the speaker)
• Esse = what’s near THEM (the listener)
• Aquele = what’s far from BOTH of you

If you and a friend are in a room, your phone in your hand is este telefone. Their phone next to them is esse telefone. A phone on a far shelf is aquele telefone.

Forms

Examples:

Este livro é meu. — This book is mine. Essa caneta é tua? — Is that pen yours? Aquela casa é grande. — That house over there is big.

When to use each

Este / esta — here, near me

For things physically close to you, things you’re holding or touching, the current moment, or what you’re about to say.

Este livro que estou a ler é fascinante. — This book I’m reading is fascinating. Este verão vou para Lisboa. — This summer I’m going to Lisbon. (the current/upcoming summer) Vou contar-te uma história. Esta é a história… — I’ll tell you a story. This is the story…

Esse / essa — there, near you

For things near the listener, what they just said or did, or things you’re referencing in their context.

Essa camisa que tens é bonita. — That shirt you’re wearing is nice. Isso que disseste é importante. — That (which you said) is important. Essa ideia é interessante. — That idea (you proposed) is interesting.

Aquele / aquela — far from both

For things far from both speakers, distant in time (past or future), or otherwise removed from the immediate situation.

Aquela montanha é o Pico. — That mountain over there is Pico. Aquele ano foi difícil. — That year (in the past) was hard. Aqueles dias eram diferentes. — Those days (long ago) were different.

Demonstrative pronouns — without a noun

When you drop the noun, the demonstrative becomes a pronoun. The form stays the same:

Este é o meu carro. — This (one) is my car. Essa é a tua chave? — Is that yours? Aquela é a casa do João. — That (over there) is João’s house.

For things whose gender isn’t specified (or that aren’t a specific noun), use the neuter forms:

Isto é importante. — This is important. Isso não me interessa. — That doesn’t interest me. Aquilo foi há muito tempo. — That was a long time ago.

The neuter forms (isto, isso, aquilo) don’t agree with anything. They refer to ideas, situations, or unspecified things.

Contractions with prepositions

Demonstratives contract with the prepositions de and em.

With de

| de + este | deste | | de + esta | desta | | de + isto | disto | | de + esse | desse | | de + essa | dessa | | de + isso | disso | | de + aquele | daquele | | de + aquela | daquela | | de + aquilo | daquilo |

Vou falar-te disto. — I’m going to talk to you about this. Não gosto desse filme. — I don’t like that film. Lembras-te daquela noite? — Do you remember that night?

With em

| em + este | neste | | em + esta | nesta | | em + isto | nisto | | em + esse | nesse | | em + essa | nessa | | em + isso | nisso | | em + aquele | naquele | | em + aquela | naquela | | em + aquilo | naquilo |

Vivo neste prédio. — I live in this building. Não acredito nisso. — I don’t believe in that. Naquela época, era diferente. — In that era, it was different.

With a (with crase)

| a + aquele | àquele | | a + aquela | àquela | | a + aquilo | àquilo |

Vou àquela festa. — I’m going to that party. Refiro-me àquilo que disseste. — I’m referring to what you said.

Note: a + este and a + esse don’t contract. They stay a este, a esse.

Este vs isto — when to use which

This is a common point of confusion. The rule:

• Use isto / isso / aquilo when there’s NO specific noun.
• Use este / esse / aquele when there IS a noun (either present or implied).

Examples:

Isto é uma cadeira. — This is a chair. (introducing/identifying, no prior noun) Esta cadeira é minha. — This chair is mine. (specific cadeira)

O que é isso? — What is that? (asking about an unspecified thing) O que é essa caixa? — What is that box? (specific caixa)

Aquilo foi terrível. — That was terrible. (abstract — the situation) Aquele dia foi terrível. — That day was terrible. (specific dia)

In short: if there’s a noun in play, use the gendered form. If you’re pointing at something abstract or unidentified, use the neuter.

Este and esse — colloquial shifts in Brazilian Portuguese

In Brazil, conversational use of este and esse sometimes blurs:

• BP often uses esse where EP would use este. Esse livro aqui (this book here) in BP corresponds to EP este livro.
• Este is more formal in BP and more standard in EP.

In writing, both varieties maintain the three-way system. The collapse is mostly oral.

Demonstratives with time

Portuguese uses different demonstratives for different time relationships:

Este ano — this year (current) Esse ano que mencionaste — that year you mentioned Aquele ano da minha infância — that year of my childhood

Este verão — this (current/upcoming) summer Esse verão — that (recent or referenced) summer Aquele verão — that distant summer

What you don’t need to do

You don’t need to use both gendered and neuter forms together. Each has its zone: gendered when there’s a noun, neuter when there isn’t.

You don’t need to memorise all contractions individually. The pattern (de + este = deste, em + este = neste) is consistent.

You don’t need to keep tight distinctions between este and esse in casual Brazilian speech. EP keeps them; BP often blurs them.

Common confusions

• Three distances, not two. Portuguese keeps este, esse, aquele separate; English has only this/that.
• Neuter forms (isto, isso, aquilo) don’t agree. They refer to abstract or unidentified things.
• Contract with de and em. Deste, nesta, daquilo, naquele.
• À + aquele/aquela/aquilo contract with crase. Àquele, àquela, àquilo.
• Time and distance share the same logic. Esta semana (current), aquela semana (distant past).
• EP and BP differ in colloquial use. EP stricter on the three-way; BP blurs este and esse in speech.

Where you’ll meet it in the library

Demonstratives are in every Portuguese paragraph:

• Pinóquio (A1+) — Storica’s adaptation introduces the three distances naturally through the puppet’s dialogues. Este livro é meu, esse que tens, aquele que está na estante.
• Dom Quixote (A2+) — Cervantes’s hero and Sancho use the three distances to argue about reality vs imagination. Estes moinhos, esses gigantes, aqueles castelos.
• Madame Bovary (B2+) — Flaubert’s Portuguese rendering uses demonstratives for psychological distance. Esta vida, esses livros, aquele Paris — each at a different remove from Emma’s emotional present.