Introduction
Learning demonstratives is one of the fastest ways to sound natural in Brazilian Portuguese. This guide explains how to use este, esse, and aquele with clear rules, simple examples, and practical phrases you can use right away.
What are demonstratives and why they matter
Demonstratives point to people, objects, or ideas and tell the listener where something is in relation to the speaker and the listener. In Brazilian Portuguese the main words for this are este, esse, and aquele. They change form with gender and number and are used in daily life: shopping, asking directions, and describing things.
Quick overview: when to use each
Este = near the speaker (this, here). Use when the thing is close to you or you just introduced it.
Esse = near the listener or recently mentioned (that, near you). Use when the item is closer to the person you talk to or when referring to something already in the conversation.
Aquele = far from both speaker and listener (that over there). Use when pointing to something at a distance or in the past, or emphasizing contrast.
Forms: gender and number
Demonstratives agree with nouns in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural). Here are the basic forms you will use as a beginner.
Masculine singular: este, esse, aquele
Feminine singular: esta, essa, aquela
Masculine plural: estes, esses, aqueles
Feminine plural: estas, essas, aquelas
Practical examples in everyday situations
Below are short, realistic examples you might encounter in Brazil. Each example includes an explanation in English.
At a café: Este café está quente.
Meaning: This coffee (near me) is hot.
Pointing to a menu near the listener: Você quer esse suco?
Meaning: Do you want that juice (near you)?
Pointing at a display across the street: Aquele prédio é antigo.
Meaning: That building over there is old.
Talking about a message you just received: Essa mensagem chegou agora.
Meaning: That message (you have it) arrived now.
Referring back to something mentioned earlier: Eu gostei daquele filme que vimos.
Meaning: I liked that movie we watched (mentioned earlier / possibly far in time).
Asking for an item on the table: Me passe este prato, por favor.
Meaning: Pass me this plate (close to me), please.
Using demonstratives with pronouns and nouns
Demonstratives can be used as adjectives before nouns or as pronouns replacing nouns. Beginners often start with them as adjectives.
Adjective use: Esta cadeira é confortável. (This chair is comfortable.)
Pronoun use: Prefiro esta. (I prefer this one.) In pronoun use the noun is understood from context.
Important beginner tips and common mistakes
Tip 1: Think in relation to speaker and listener. If it is by your side, choose este/esta. If it is near the person you speak to, choose esse/essa. If it is distant from both, choose aquele/aquela.
Tip 2: Use the plural forms when the noun is plural: esses sapatos, aquelas fotos.
Common mistake: confusing este and esse. If you point to something near you but use esse, a listener might think the thing is nearer to them. Be consistent with physical or conversational distance.
Common mistake: ignoring gender. A masculine noun needs masculine demonstrative: este livro, not esta livro.
Using demonstratives in time and memory contexts
Demonstratives also refer to time or parts of conversation. Este can mean this (current). Esse often refers to something just mentioned. Aquele can refer to something in the past or further away in memory.
Examples:
Este ano foi difícil.
Meaning: This year (the current year) was difficult.
Nesse dia, eu estava doente.
Meaning: On that day (you mentioned or near the listener) I was sick.
Aquele inverno foi muito frio.
Meaning: That winter (a past winter) was very cold.
Short practice dialogues for beginners
Practice 1 — At a store
Cliente: Quanto custa este casaco?
Vendedor: Esse aqui custa duzentos reais.
Explanation: The customer points to a coat near them using este. The seller refers to the same item using esse plus informal aqui to indicate closeness to the seller.
Practice 2 — On the street
Pessoa A: Você conhece aquele restaurante?
Pessoa B: Sim, aquele é bom.
Explanation: Both use aquele to refer to a place at some distance or well known to both.
Useful vocabulary and short phrases
este/esta — this (near me)
esse/essa — that (near you or mentioned)
aquele/aquela — that over there / that (far)
aqui — here
aí — there (near you)
lá — over there
Mini exercises with answers
Choose the correct demonstrative: 1) ____ livro é meu. (book next to me)
Answer: Este livro é meu.
2) Você viu ____ bicicleta? (near the person you talk to)
Answer: Você viu essa bicicleta?
3) ____ pessoas estavam na praia ontem. (people far from both now)
Answer: Aquelas pessoas estavam na praia ontem.
Conclusion
Mastering este, esse, and aquele makes everyday Portuguese clearer and more natural. Focus on proximity to speaker or listener, match gender and number, and practice with short real-life phrases like those in this article. With simple repeated use you will start choosing the correct demonstrative automatically.
