How to Say ‘These’ in Spanish | Pick The Right Form

Use estos/estas for nearby nouns; use esos/esas or aquellos/aquellas for distant nouns.

“These” feels like one tiny word. Spanish turns it into a choice that depends on two things: the noun’s gender and the sense of distance you mean. Get those two right, and your sentence sounds natural.

This article shows how to say “these” in Spanish in a way you can use right away. You’ll learn which form fits nearby things, which form fits things not near you, and how to match masculine and feminine plural nouns without second-guessing yourself.

How to Say ‘These’ in Spanish In Real Sentences

Spanish doesn’t have one single word that always equals “these.” It has sets of demonstratives. They point at things, like you’re gesturing with your hand while you speak.

Before you pick a form, answer two quick questions:

• Which noun am I talking about? Spanish nouns are masculine or feminine.
• How close does it feel? Near you, near the listener, or farther away.

What Counts As “Near” Or “Far”

Distance can be physical, but it can also be conversational. A product in your hand is “near.” A book on a table across the room can feel “near the listener” if you’re pointing to it and talking to them.

Something across the street, from last year, or tied to “those people over there” can feel “far.” In real life, you’ll usually bounce between “near me” and “not near me,” and that already gets you a long way.

Why Gender Matters With “These”

Spanish demonstratives agree with the noun they modify. If the noun is masculine plural, you pick a masculine plural form. If the noun is feminine plural, you pick a feminine plural form.

English doesn’t force you to do this, so it can feel odd at first. After a few rounds of practice, it becomes automatic.

Choose Between Estos, Esos, And Aquellos

Spanish gives you three distance sets. Each set has a masculine plural and a feminine plural form, so you can match the noun you’re pointing to.

If you’re learning, start by locking in the first two sets. The third set still matters, since you’ll see it in books, speeches, and careful writing.

Estos And Estas For Things Near You

Estos goes with masculine plural nouns. Estas goes with feminine plural nouns. Use them when the items feel close to you, like they’re in your hand, on your desk, or in your space.

Quick Phrases You’ll Hear A Lot

• estos libros (these books)
• estos zapatos (these shoes)
• estas mesas (these tables)
• estas flores (these flowers)

Short Sentences To Copy

• Estos libros son míos.
• ¿Te gustan estas flores?
• Estas mesas están libres.

Esos And Esas For Things Not Near You

Esos (masculine plural) and esas (feminine plural) fit items that feel closer to the person you’re speaking to, or just not close to you. If you’re pointing across a room, a counter, or a screen, this set often fits.

Short Sentences To Copy

• Esos zapatos se ven cómodos.
• ¿Cuánto cuestan esas entradas?
• Esas fotos son de ayer.

Aquellos And Aquellas For Things Farther Away

Aquellos (masculine plural) and aquellas (feminine plural) point to things that feel far off, either in space or in time. Think “those over there” or “those back then.”

Short Sentences To Copy

• Aquellos edificios son antiguos.
• Aquellas noches fueron largas.
• No olvido aquellos días.

Match Gender And Number Every Time

The safest way to pick the right word is to lock onto the noun first. Ask yourself, “What is the noun I’m modifying?” Then match its plural form.

A clean pattern helps: masculine plural demonstratives usually end in -os (estos, esos, aquellos), and feminine plural demonstratives usually end in -as (estas, esas, aquellas).

Fast Steps When You’re Speaking

1. Say the noun in your head in Spanish.
2. Check if it’s masculine or feminine.
3. Decide whether it feels near you, not near you, or far off.
4. Pick the matching plural demonstrative.

Demonstrative Forms For “These” At A Glance

What You Mean	Use	Small Note
These + masculine plural noun near you	estos + noun	estos libros, estos zapatos
These + feminine plural noun near you	estas + noun	estas flores, estas llaves
These for a mixed-gender group of people	estos	Masculine plural is the default for mixed groups
These items that feel closer to the listener	esos/esas	Pick -os or -as based on the noun
These things not near you, with a masculine plural noun	esos + noun	esos platos, esos datos
These things not near you, with a feminine plural noun	esas + noun	esas ideas, esas páginas
These things far away in place or time	aquellos/aquellas	Common in writing, stories, and contrasts in time
These ones (noun omitted) near you	estos/estas	Same forms, used as a pronoun
These ones (noun omitted) not near you or far away	esos/esas or aquellos/aquellas	Choose by distance and the implied noun’s gender

When The Noun Drops Out

English can say “these” by itself: “Do you want these?” Spanish can do the same thing. You keep the demonstrative and leave the noun unsaid when the noun is obvious in the moment.

Listen to the shape of these mini exchanges, then copy them out loud:

• ¿Quieres estos? — Sí, quiero estos.
• ¿Prefieres estas o esas? — Prefiero esas.
• No compro aquellos. — Yo tampoco.

A Small Trick For Pronoun Use

When the noun is missing, your brain still has to “hear” it. If you’re talking about camisas (feminine plural), you’ll pick estas or esas, even if you never say camisas out loud.

If you’re not sure, bring the noun back for one sentence. Then drop it again once it feels steady.

Everyday Phrases With “These” That Sound Natural

Some “these” phrases show up all the time. They’re great practice because you can reuse them in lots of situations, from chatting with friends to writing for class.

Common Noun Pairs

• estos días (these days)
• estas semanas (these weeks)
• estos temas (these topics)
• estas cosas (these things)
• esos detalles (those details)
• esas preguntas (those questions)

How To Add “Here” Or “There”

If you want extra clarity, Spanish often adds a location phrase. You can say estos de aquí (“these here”) or esos de ahí (“those there”), depending on the setting.

This is handy in shops, classrooms, and group chats where you’re pointing at a list, a photo, or a pile of items.

Mix-Ups People Make And How To Fix Them

A lot of mistakes come from one of two habits: grabbing esto when you need a plural form, or picking the right distance word but the wrong gender ending.

Use the table below as a fast check when something sounds off.

Mix-Up	What It Usually Means	Try This Fix
Using esto for “these”	Esto points to “this” as an idea, not plural items	Switch to estos/estas with a noun
Saying estos casas	Gender mismatch: casa is feminine	Say estas casas
Saying esas libros	Gender mismatch: libro is masculine	Say esos libros
Using aquellos when you mean “near me”	The distance feels too far for the situation	Try estos/estas for nearby items
Freezing on distance	You’re unsure which set fits the moment	Start with estos vs esos; add aquellos later
Overusing English word order	Spanish prefers demonstrative + noun	Say estos apuntes, not apuntes estos
Forgetting the noun in writing	The reader can’t tell what “these” points to	Add the noun once, then you can shorten later
Using plural demonstratives with a singular noun	Number mismatch	Use este/esta for singular, estos/estas for plural

Tricky Spots That Still Show Up In Class And Tests

Once you’ve got the main forms, a few details can still trip you up in homework and writing. None of these are hard, but they’re worth seeing once so you don’t get surprised later.

“These Are …” In Spanish

English loves “These are …” Spanish often uses Estos son… or Estas son… based on the noun you mean. If you’re introducing objects, you can also say Son estos or Son estas while pointing.

Try these:

• Estos son mis apuntes.
• Estas son mis respuestas.
• Son estos, no esos.

Demonstratives Without A Noun In Formal Writing

You might see demonstratives used alone in writing, especially when the noun was named in the prior sentence. That’s fine, and it’s common.

You may also see accent marks in older texts on demonstratives used as pronouns. Many modern writers skip those accents unless a sentence would be confusing without them.

“These” Pointing To Ideas

English sometimes uses “these” to point to a set of ideas: “These are my reasons.” Spanish usually keeps it concrete by naming the noun: Estas son mis razones.

If you’re pointing to one idea, Spanish tends to use esto (“this”) instead of trying to force a plural.

Practice Drills You Can Do Out Loud

Practice works best when it’s short and repeatable. Use the drills below for three minutes at a time. Say them at normal speed, not slow motion.

Drill One: Pick The Form Fast

1. Look at an item near you and say a noun phrase: estos ____ or estas ____.
2. Point at something across the room and switch to esos or esas.
3. Think of something from long ago and use aquellos or aquellas.

Drill Two: Swap The Noun, Keep The Pattern

Pick one sentence and swap only the noun. Keep the distance word steady. This trains your endings.

• Estos ____ son nuevos.
• Estas ____ son nuevas.
• Esos ____ son caros.
• Esas ____ son caras.

Drill Three: Drop The Noun

Point at two options and ask a question. Answer with just the demonstrative. This is how people speak in shops and daily chat.

• ¿Estos o esos? — Estos.
• ¿Estas o aquellas? — Aquellas.

Mini Checklist Before You Write Or Speak

If you freeze, run this quick checklist. It takes a second, and it saves you from the most common slips.

• Name the noun in your head.
• Mark it as masculine or feminine.
• Decide if the thing feels near you, not near you, or far off.
• Pick the plural form that matches: estos/estas, esos/esas, or aquellos/aquellas.

Once you’ve said the right form a few dozen times, it starts to feel like one move, not four steps. That’s when “these” stops being a grammar puzzle and starts sounding like your own voice in Spanish.