Demonstrative adjectives and pronouns

Unit 20 Unidad 20Demonstrative adjectives and pronouns Los adjetivos y pronombres demostrativos Level 1 1.1 Demonstrative adjectives Adjetivos demostrativos 1.2 Demonstrative pronouns Pr

Unit 20 (Unidad 20)

Demonstrative adjectives and

pronouns (Los adjetivos y

pronombres demostrativos)

Level 1

1.1 Demonstrative adjectives (Adjetivos demostrativos)

1.2 Demonstrative pronouns (Pronombres demostrativos)

1.3 ´Este and aqu ´el= the latter and the former

1.4 Neuter pronouns (Pronombres neutros)

i There are three demonstrative adjectives in Spanish They correspond to the English

this, these, that and those They agree with the noun to which they relate, in the

same manner as adjectives:

aquel aquella aquello that (further away)

ii Este denotes what is close by, or associated with, the speaker Ese relates to the thing

that is close to the person addressed and not far from the speaker or addressee.

Aquel is far or remote from both They precede the nouns to which they belong.

However, they can follow the noun (see level 2.1).

Examples

este timbre (M) / sello que tengo aqu´ı this stamp I have here

Esta rec´amara (M) / habitaci´on est´a sucia This (bed)room is dirty

Estos sobres no tienen timbres (M) / sellos These envelopes don’t have stamps

Estas papas (M) / patatas est´an buenas These potatoes are nice

Ese coche all´ı es de mi pap´a (M) / padre That car there is my father’s

Esa casa enfrente se vende That house opposite is for sale

Esos ´arboles est´an en flor Those trees are in blossom

Esas chicas viven muy cerca Those girls live close by

aquel parque al otro lado del pueblo that park on the other side of the town

aquella pel´ıcula que vamos a ver that movie we are going to see

aquellos barcos que salen hoy those boats that leave today

aquellas monta˜nas que escaladamos those mountains we climb

iii With reference to time, este refers logically to the present, ese to a period relatively near, while aquel applies to a remote period:

aquella ´epoca en que Cort´es that period when Cortes

i ´Este, ´esta, ´ese, ´esa, aqu ´el, aqu ´ella, etc., are often used in comparisons as in:

Este muchacho es m´as abusado (M) / listo que ´ese This boy is cleverer than that one

Estas novelas son m´as interesantes que aqu´ellas These novels are more interesting than those

ii As pronouns, the above forms may or may not have a written accent There is no

strict rule on this feature It is argued that accents on pronouns avoid ambiguity However, ambiguity is extremely rare At the same time, the Spanish Academy

considers omission of the written accent permissible, but the Spanish newspaper El Pa´ıs, for instance, does not allow this omission Furthermore, careful writers do seem

to censure its absence So, it seems wiser to use it.

Examples

´

Este (este coche) es m´as caro que aqu´el This one (this car) is more expensive than

that one

´

Ese es un autor de primera categor´ıa That is a first-class author

Aqu´ella es una ´epoca fabulosa That is a fabulous period

Prefiero aqu´ellas en el escaparate I prefer those in the store window

1.3 ´Este and aqu ´el = the latter and the former

A further difference between ´este and its variants, and aqu´el and its variants is that

´este, etc., has the value of the latter, while aqu´el has the value of the former:

Hay una lucha entre los aztecas y los There is a struggle between the Aztecs

espa˜noles ´ Estos tienen ca˜nones en tanto aqu´ellos and the Spaniards The latter have cannons

while the former

The neuter pronoun forms, esto, eso and aquello are also used but only absolutely:

that is to say, they are never found associated with nouns They do not refer to anything specific, persons or things They apply to statements and abstract ideas:

20 Demonstrative adjectives and pronouns

Eso me parece incre´ıble That seems incredible to me

Aquello del vecino que pierde That business of the neighbor who loses

¿Puedes solucionar aquello de tu padre? ¿Can you sort out your father’s trouble/

business?

Eso may be substituted for aquello in the last two examples.

Ejercicios Level 1

i Change the definite article to the correct demonstrative adjective e.g este, esta,

estos, estas (there may be more than one solution)

Example

Mi primo quiere comprar las corbatas de ante> Mi primo quiere comprar estas

corbatas de ante

a Compro los peri´odicos en el quiosco

b Manuel va a comprar las naranjas

c El hombre olvida los boletos (M) / billetes

d Los lentes (M) que hallo son de Jorge

e Las gafas que encuentro son de Juan

f Los j´ovenes juegan f´utbol (M) / al f´utbol

g Hay que recoger a Mar´ıa en la estaci´on

h Los aviones nuevos son muy c´omodos

i El viaje de Barcelona a Valencia es muy c´omodo

j Las fotos de Oaxaca son muy interesantes

ii Change the demonstrative adjectives este, etc., to ese, esa, esos, esas

Example

Ha recibido esta carta de su hermana> Ha recibido esa carta de su hermana

a Saqu´e estas fotos en M´alaga

b Estas naranjas son bastante caras

c ¿Pasa este tren por C´ordoba?

d Esta lecci´on es muy f´acil

e Me pregunto qu´e hay en este paquete

f Voy a venderle los relojes a este cliente

iii Complete the following with aqu ´el, aqu ´ella, etc., as in the example

No quieren estas manzanas, sino ( )> sino aqu´ellas

a No quieren este chocolate, sino ( )

b No quiero estos sillones, sino ( )

c No prefiero este carro (M) / coche, sino ( )

d No me gusta esta alfombra, sino ( )

e No comprar´e este disco, sino ( )

f No prefiero estas macetas, sino ( )

iv Complete the following with ´este, ´esta, etc

Example

Aquella computadora (M) es m´as r´apida que ( )> que ´esta

a Ese ordenador es m´as caro que ( )

b Aquella lavadora es m´as eficiente que ( )

c Aquel cami´on (M) es m´as lento que ( )

d Esos mapas son m´as detallados que ( )

e Aquellas flores no son tan bonitas como ( )

f Esos sillones son m´as c´omodos que ( )

v Paired activity

Objective – To use the demonstrative adjective with a noun, and then to refer to the

noun with a demonstrative pronoun

Method – A asks B if (s)he can use/see, etc., “este objeto” = “this object.” B says “No” but that A can use, etc., “´ese/aqu´el ” = “that object,” or B can see “that object” = ´ese/aqu´el

Examples

P R E G U N TA : ¿Puedo usar este libro?

R E S P U E S TA : No, pero puedes usar ´ese/aqu´el

P R E G U N TA : ¿Entiendes a este autor?

R E S P U E S TA : No, pero entiendo a ´ese/aqu´el

P R E G U N TA : ¿Necesitas estos papeles?

R E S P U E S TA : No, pero necesito ´esos/aqu´ellos

Use the following combinations of verbs + nouns, or invent your own (by unit 20 you are doubtless able to do this):

abrir ventana, cerrar puerta, ver al chico, comprar flores, leer peri´odico, hacer cama, lavar pantal´on, limpiar el carro, entender chiste, dibujar florero, leer libro, querer caramelo

Level 2

2.1 Demonstrative adjectives after the noun (Adjetivos demostrativos que siguen

al nombre)

2.2 Uses of the pronoun el (Usos del pronombre el )

The adjectival este, ese and aquel and their variants may come after the noun In these

cases, they frequently, but not always, suggest a pejorative or ironic touch

La carretera esa es muy peligrosa That road is very dangerous

El chico aquel nunca estudia That boy never studies

La lavadora esta funciona fatal, es un cacharro This washing machine is hopeless, it’s a

piece of junk

20 Demonstrative adjectives and pronouns

i El, in its several forms, when used as a pronoun, does not accompany a noun, but

serves to avoid the repetition of one; it is equivalent to the English that, those, the one, the ones, referring to something already mentioned or understood:

Compr´e mi computadora (M) y la que tiene mi hija I bought my computer and the one my

daughter has / my daughter’s

Me gusta mi ordenador y el que compraste I like my computer and the one you bought

Romp´ı la pluma (M) m´ıa y la de mi cuate (M) /

amigo

I broke my pen and that of my friend / my friend’s

Son muy bonitas las plantas en el jard´ın y las de al

lado

The plants in the yard/garden and those at the side are very attractive

ii When a relative pronoun follows, el, los, la, las are used instead of the personal pronouns ´el, los, la and las:

El que habl´o ayer es colombiano The one who spoke yesterday is Colombian

La que nos encontramos es muy rica The one we met is very rich

Los que murieron eran canadienses Those who died were Canadians

Las que te ayudaron son muy majas Those who helped you are very nice

iii But when the relative following is governed by a preposition, aqu ´el is more usual as

an antecedent than el, when referring to persons:

Aqu´ella a quien he dado el regalo The person / She to whom I gave the

present

Aqu´ellos con quienes discutiste Those with whom you had an argument

Exercises Level 2

i Cambia ese, esa, etc., a el, la, etc + noun + ese, esa, etc., como en el ejemplo

Esa carretera es muy ancha> La carretera esa es muy ancha

a Esos libros son muy pesados

b Esta cocina est´a muy sucia

c Ese ordenador no funciona bien

d Estas sillas est´an casi todas rotas

e ¿Qu´e vas a hacer con estas plantas?

f ¿Por qu´e tiraste esos botes?

g Esa computadora (M) soluciona todos los problemas

h No com´ı ese plato por que no ten´ıa sabor

ii Completa con el, la, los, las como en el ejemplo

Mis amigos y ( ) de Juan fueron al teatro> Mis amigos y los de Juan fueron al teatro

a El auto (M) de Ana y ( ) de Guillermo est´an en el garage (M) / garaje

b Los cuadernos m´ıos y ( ) de mi prima est´an estropeados

c Mi radio (M) y ( ) de mi primo son nuevos

d Mi radio y ( ) de mi sobrina son caras

e Le di a mi amigo mi toalla y ( ) de Jes´us

f Prefiero mi departamento (M) a ( ) de Armando

g ¿Qu´e vas a hacer con mi bicicleta y ( ) de Carlos?

h No me convencen las ideas de Pedro y ( ) de Roberto

Unit 21 (Unidad 21)

Adjectives (Los adjetivos)

Level 1

1.1 Agreement of adjectives (Concordancia de adjetivos)

1.2 Apocopation (shortened form) (Ap ´ocope)

1.3 Position of adjectives (Posici ´on / Ubicaci ´on (M) de adjetivos)

Adjectives in Spanish, like the definite and indefinite articles, vary in form to indicate

gender and number, taking those of the nouns to which they relate This is called agreeing

with the noun There are a few rare exceptions

Adjectives form their plurals in both genders in the same way as nouns The distinction

of gender depends upon the following two principles:

i The greater number of adjectives end in o in the masculine, and a in the feminine singular, and they both take s in the plural:

fresco, fresca, frescos, frescas fresh, cool

blanco, blanca, blancos, blancas white

negro, negra, negros, negras black

ii Those which do not end in o in the masculine singular have the same ending for both

genders, and the plurals are the same for both genders:

cort´es, corteses courteous, polite dulce, dulces sweet

suave, suaves soft, gentle, smooth ´util, ´utiles useful

belga, belgas Belgian azteca, aztecas aztec

iii Adjectives which end in a consonant, and signify nationality, add a in the feminine:

ingl´es, inglesa English franc´es, francesa French

alem´an, alemana German escoc´es, escocesa Scottish

holand´es, holandesa Dutch andaluz, andaluza Andalusian

Notice that, quite logically, the feminine form does not take a written accent

It also disappears in the plural of both masculine and feminine forms:

ingleses, alemanes, daneses, holandeses, franceses, escoceses, andaluces

iv Those ending in ´an or ´on add a to the feminine:

pregunt´on, preguntona inquisitive

respond´on, respondona nervy, cheeky

Notice that, quite logically, the written accent disappears in the feminine form, and

that in the plural forms it also disappears: holgazanes/holgazanas, preguntones/preguntonas,

respondones/respondonas

v Those ending in or and which do not have a comparative value (see unit28and [vi]

below) add a to the feminine:

emprendedor, emprendedora enterprising

vi The plural forms are:

emprendedores/emprendedoras, habladores/habladoras

Such words having a comparative value are the same in both genders:

exterior/exteriores exterior peor/peores worse

inferior/inferiores inferior/lower posterior/posteriores later, following

mayor/mayores bigger superior/superiores superior, uppity

mejor/mejores better ulterior/ulteriores further, ulterior

menor/menores smaller

vii Adjectives of nationality are used to represent the language or native of the

country in question In the latter case, they are considered as nouns However, as both adjectives and nouns, the initial letter is in lower case:

Hablo ingl´es/portugu´es/espa˜nol I speak English/Portuguese/Spanish

Este se˜nor es italiano/mexicano This gentleman is Italian/Mexican

La venezolana habla franc´es The Venezuelan lady speaks French

i Six adjectives assume a shortened form when standing immediately before certain

nouns This shortened form is called apocopation:

Bueno, malo, primero and tercero lose the final o when immediately preceding any

masculine singular noun:

Tienes un buen carro (M) You have a good car

´

Este es un mal vino This is a bad wine

estar de buen/mal humor to be in a good/bad mood

21 Adjectives

Exceptions: Santo Tom´as – Saint Thomas, Santo Domingo – Saint Dominic

ii But, of course, in the feminine form we have:

iii Grande drops the final de when it precedes a noun, masculine or feminine:

un gran amigo/general a great friend/general

una gran casa/ciudad a big house/city

However, grande becomes grandes before a plural noun:

los grandes almacenes the department store

las grandes actrices del cine the great movie actresses

(See also “Word order,” unit29)

As far as the position of Spanish adjectives is concerned, they often follow the noun, but this is far from clear For all general purposes, it may be safely stated that the adjective does

follow the noun, at least in speech You are referred also to level 2 for clarification

on this matter For our purposes here, the adjective follows the noun when it denotes a

physical quality (color, size, shape, strength) or nationality, or when nationality is referred to

Examples where the adjective clearly follows the noun:

caf´e negro/americano black/weak coffee

un hombre de raza blanca a man of white race

un hombre/vino fuerte a strong man/wine

There are many adjectives of an intermediate character which may be used either way, the Spanish speaker being guided in their location by her/his own ideas on meaning, style,

stress and so on (For the different values or meanings of certain adjectives

when placed before or after the noun see level 2 )

Exercises Level 1

i Replace the first noun by those in brackets and make the agreement with the adjective

el carro rojo (casa/´arboles)> la casa roja / los ´arboles rojos

a el sarape amarillo (poncho/faldas/bolsas/bolso/cuadernos/chaqueta)

b la blusa chica (cami´on/guitarras/sarape/ni ˜nos/alfombra)

c las cortinas largas (pluma/calles/sarapes/regla/pintura/pasillos)

d la maceta grande (coches/perlas/vestidos/sala/c´omodas/´arboles)

e el jard´ın rectangular (libro/alfombra/mesitas/radio/cuadernos)

f una toalla suave (pendiente/pelo/colores/car´acter/garbanzos/temperaturas)

g un chico mexicano (chica/comida/bebidas/muchachos)

h la mejor temperatura (notas/carro/vacaciones/computadora)

ii Change the position of the adjective as in the example

Hacemos el ejercicio primero> Hacemos el primer ejercicio

a Pedro es un carpintero bueno f Juan es un actor bueno

b Estudio el libro tercero g Es una casa grande

c El doctor es un hombre grande h Quiero seguir el curso tercero

d Voy a asistir al curso primero i Es el martes primero del mes

e Pedro no es un alba ˜nil malo j Arturo es un escritor malo

iii Put the words in their correct order

Example

caf´e prefiero negro un> Prefiero un caf´e negro

a atletas raza tiene negra la buenos

b blanco novia un la lleva vestido

c Mayor necesariamente mayor no calle Calle la es la

d vinos gustan me no fuertes los

e men´u un apetece italiano te men´u o un espa ˜nol?

f de verdes caen hojas las ´arboles los

g a puedo departamentos (M) / pisos no superiores subir los

h tacones le llevar gusta altos

i argentino el buen mejor mundo del es equipo un

j pa´ıs tiene sistema buen financiero este un

iv Paired activity (a)

Objective – To make the adjective agree with the noun it qualifies.

Method – A says a noun and B qualifies it with an adjective The roles can be reversed.

The noun may be masculine or feminine or plural

Example

A: casa

B: blanca

B: flores

A: azules

A: cortinas

B: verdes

Here are some nouns and adjectives that you may use: