Introduction
Understanding Portuguese demonstratives can be confusing for English-speaking learners. This article explains the difference between Aquela and Essa, two feminine demonstratives used in Brazilian Portuguese. You will learn their meanings, when to use each one, examples in context, and useful tips to sound natural.
- What are demonstratives in Portuguese?
- Basic meanings: essa vs aquela
- Contextual and discourse uses
- When to choose essa or aquela: clear rules
- Common pairings and collocations
- Comparing with English to avoid overlap
- Pronunciation and contraction notes
- Regional and casual variations
- Examples in everyday situations
- Cultural notes
- Common mistakes and how to avoid them
- Quick reference summary
- Conclusion
What are demonstratives in Portuguese?
Demonstratives are words that point to people, objects, places, or ideas. In Portuguese they change form for gender (masculine / feminine) and number (singular / plural). The three main demonstrative groups are near the speaker, near the listener, and far from both.
Examples of the feminine singular forms are esta (near the speaker), essa (near the listener), and aquela (far from both). In this article we focus on essa and aquela.
Basic meanings: essa vs aquela
Essa indicates something that is closer to the listener or closer in the immediate context, and can also refer to something recently mentioned in conversation. It often corresponds to English that or that one when talking to someone.
Aquela refers to something more distant from both speaker and listener, or to something in the past or more removed in space or time. In English it often translates as that over there or that one (over there).
Simple spatial contrast
Imagine two objects on a table, one near you and one near the person you are speaking to, or one farther away from both. Portuguese speakers pick demonstratives accordingly:
O copo aqui é este (near the speaker).
O copo aí é esse (near the listener).
O copo ali é aquele (far from both).
For feminine nouns substitute the feminine forms: esta, essa, aquela. For example:
A caneca aqui é esta.
A caneca aí é essa.
A caneca ali é aquela.
Contextual and discourse uses
Demonstratives do more than show physical distance. They also manage discourse — how speakers refer back to earlier parts of conversation or to ideas. Understanding this will help you choose between essa and aquela naturally.
Essa as a referent to something mentioned
When you refer to a noun already introduced by the listener or recently mentioned, essa is common. It signals: that thing we just talked about or the one near you.
Example: Você falou daquela bolsa ontem.
Você comprou essa bolsa?
Here essa ties the question to the handbag the listener mentioned or to a handbag close to them in context.
Aquela for distance in time or memory
Aquela can mark something farther away not only in space but in time or memory. Use it when speaking about an event or object that feels more remote, or when distinguishing it from more recent items.
Example: Lembra daquela festa que tivemos no verão passado?
Aquela noite foi incrível.
In this example aquela emphasizes the distance in time (last summer) and evokes memory.
When to choose essa or aquela: clear rules
Below are practical rules of thumb to help you choose between essa and aquela in everyday speech.
1. Physical location
Use essa when the object is near the listener but not the speaker; use aquela when the object is far from both. If the object is near the speaker, use esta, not covered in depth here but important to remember.
Example: A bolsa que você está segurando é essa.
A bolsa na prateleira no fundo é aquela.
2. Information structure (discourse link)
Use essa to pick up something just mentioned or to confirm what the listener said. Use aquela to introduce or recall something more distant or to emphasize a contrast with what was recently mentioned.
Example: Ela falou sobre uma proposta.
Você vai aceitar essa proposta?
— Não, prefiro aquela proposta que recebi antes.
3. Temporal distance
When referencing time, aquela often signals past events that feel removed. Essa can refer to nearer moments or recent past.
Example: Essa semana foi corrida.
Aquela vez que viajamos foi muito melhor.
4. Emotional or narrative distance
Writers and speakers use aquela to create narrative distance or solemn tone, and essa to keep the tone immediate and conversational.
Example (story):
Ela lembrou-se de aquela promessa e chorou.
In a casual chat:
Foi essa promessa mesmo?
Common pairings and collocations
Certain words and expressions frequently appear with essa and aquela. Learning these collocations helps comprehension and production.
Essa + ideia/pessoa/coisa recente
Use essa with palavras like ideia, questão, história, roupa when they are part of the current exchange.
Examples: Essa ideia é boa.
Essa história não faz sentido.
Aquela + lembrança/época/coisa distante
Use aquela with palavras like lembrança, época, foto antiga, festa when you refer to the past or something emotionally distant.
Examples: Aquela lembrança me faz sorrir.
Aquela foto é da infância.
Comparing with English to avoid overlap
English uses the single demonstrative that for both near and far contexts, so learners often feel unsure which Portuguese word to choose. Remember Portuguese distinguishes location and discourse role more granually:
In English you might say that book; in Portuguese you must choose between esse livro (near listener / recently mentioned) or aquele livro (far / earlier / over there).
Examples side-by-side
English: Which dress do you want?
Portuguese options:
Qual vestido você quer, este, esse ou aquele?
— Eu quero esse vestido (the one you pointed to / you are wearing).
— Eu quero aquele vestido (the one over there or the one we talked about earlier).
Pronunciation and contraction notes
Pronunciation of essa and aquela follows standard Brazilian Portuguese patterns. EssaAquela
Contractions with prepositions occur as usual: com + essa = com essa (no contraction), de + aquela = daquela (contracted). Observe how prepositions interact:
Estou falando daquela música.
Você trouxe essa caneta?
Regional and casual variations
Brazil is large and speakers vary. In some informal contexts speakers use essa more flexibly, even when something is a bit more distant, especially in conversation. However, using aquela to mark clear distance or past reference remains common and understood everywhere.
Some speakers rely more on gestures and context than strict demonstrative choice. Yet for clear, correct Portuguese — especially in writing and formal speech — follow the spatial and discourse rules above.
Tips to sound natural
1. Pay attention to who holds or is near the object. If the listener is closer, prefer essa.
2. When recalling past events or memories, reach for aquela.
3. Use gestures when you are unsure — physical pointing resolves ambiguity.
4. Listen carefully to native speakers and notice how they use demonstratives in conversations, songs, and TV.
Examples in everyday situations
Here are more situational examples you can memorize and adapt.
At a café:
Você quer essa cadeira ou aquela ali?
(You want the chair near you or the one over there?)
Talking about photos:
Olha essa foto que tiramos ontem.
Olha aquela foto do casamento dos meus pais.
(This one from yesterday vs the distant wedding photo.)
Discussing plans:
Gostei dessa ideia que você mencionou.
Aquela proposta do ano passado não era boa.
(Immediate idea vs previous year’s proposal.)
Cultural notes
Brazilian Portuguese often mixes gesture, context, and demonstratives. People commonly use demonstratives to show friendliness, sarcasm, or emphasis. For example, using essa with a playful tone can mock or tease someone about something they said. Using aquela can evoke nostalgia when talking about older memories.
Also note that in spoken Portuguese the neutral demonstrative esse/essa sometimes replaces este/esta and aquele/aquela in casual speech, so you will frequently hear essa used broadly — but for learners aiming for clarity, learn the distinctions first.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Mistake 1: Using essa for things far away. Check physical or narrative distance before choosing.
Mistake 2: Translating directly from English and using one demonstrative for all situations. Always consider location and discourse.
Mistake 3: Forgetting gender and number. Match essa and aquela to the feminine noun and use esses/aquelas for plural forms as needed.
Correct agreement example: Essa mesa / Essas mesas. Aquela cadeira / Aquelas cadeiras.
Quick reference summary
Essa: nearer to the listener, recently mentioned, immediate context. Use for conversational reference and things within the listener’s reach.
Aquela: farther from both, more remote in space or time, or used to evoke memory or narrative distance.
Conclusion
Mastering the difference between Aquela and Essa will make your Portuguese more precise and natural. Focus on spatial relations, discourse links, and temporal distance when choosing between them. Listen to native speakers, use gestures to clarify meaning, and practice matching demonstratives to the gender and number of the nouns they modify. With time, choosing between essa and aquela will become automatic.
