aquel/aquella/aquellos/aquellas
Demonstrative Adjectives (Far)
Use aquel, aquella, aquellos or aquellas before a noun you present as distant: aquella casa, aquellos años. Match the noun’s gender and number.
How It Works
In Spanish, when you want to point something out, the word you use changes based on how far away it is. These 'pointing words' are called demonstrative adjectives.
A common spatial contrast is:
- Close to the speaker (here): Words like 'este' and 'esta' (this).
- Not so close, maybe near the listener (there): Words like 'ese' and 'esa' (that).
- Far from both the speaker and the listener (over there): Use aquel/aquella/aquellos/aquellas (that/those over there).
These are useful starting points, not measured zones. Aquel presents something as distant from the immediate situation; ese remains possible for a physically distant object in an appropriate context.
Like other adjectives in Spanish, these words must match the noun they describe in both gender and number. Here are the four forms:
- aquel (masculine, singular): aquel árbol (that tree over there)
- aquella (feminine, singular): aquella casa (that house over there)
- aquellos (masculine, plural): aquellos coches (those cars over there)
- aquellas (feminine, plural): aquellas nubes (those clouds over there)
Aquel also appears with time expressions such as aquellos años (those years). The choice presents the time as distant in the speaker’s account; it does not require a fixed number of years.
Examples (4)
- Aquel edificio es el más alto de la ciudad.
That building over there is the tallest in the city.
Word by Word: That-over-there building is the most tall of the city.
- ¿Ves aquellas montañas a lo lejos?
Do you see those mountains over there in the distance?
Word by Word: Do you see those-over-there mountains at the distance?
- Aquella época fue muy diferente.
That era (in the distant past) was very different.
Word by Word: That-over-there era was very different.
'Aquel' and its forms can also refer to a time that is far in the past.
- Aquellos niños están jugando en el parque.
Those children over there are playing in the park.
Word by Word: Those-over-there children are playing in the park.
Common Mistakes
Failing to match the demonstrative to a feminine noun.
Mira aquel casa en la colina.Mira aquella casa en la colina.Casa is feminine singular, so use aquella. Physical distance does not by itself make ese or esa ungrammatical: both ese pájaro and aquel pájaro can refer to a high-flying bird, with a different way of pointing it out.
Related Patterns
- este/esta/estos/estasDemonstrative Adjectives (Near)
Este commonly points to something presented as near the speaker. The distance contrast with ese and aquel depends on the situation.
Foundations - ese/esa/esos/esasDemonstrative Adjectives (Mid)
Ese often contrasts with near este and more distant aquel, but speakers do not divide space into fixed measured zones.
Foundations - -o/-aNoun Gender Markers
To choose the correct form (e.g., 'aquel' vs. 'aquella'), you need to know the gender of the noun. This pattern explains how to identify masculine and feminine nouns.
Foundations - -s/-esPlural Formation
To choose between singular and plural forms (e.g., 'aquel' vs. 'aquellos'), you need to know if the noun is plural. This pattern covers how nouns are made plural.
Foundations - soy/eres/es/somos/sonSer Present Tense
Ser identifies or characterizes someone or something; estar locates it or presents a condition. Duration alone does not choose between them.
Foundations - estoy/estás/está/estamos/estánEstar Present Tense
The verb 'estar' is frequently used with demonstratives to talk about the location or state of things, like in 'Aquellos niños están jugando' (Those children over there are playing).
Foundations
Words in This Pattern
Practice aquel/aquella/aquellos/aquellas in Bubblegum
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