Pronouns in Spanish
Articles as Pronouns
In Spanish, four definite articles commonly exist and function as pronouns. These articles are…
- El (Singular, Masculine) - Commonly acts as “he”
- La (Singular, Feminine) - Commonly acts as “she”
- Los (Plural, Masculine) - Commonly acts as “they” when referring to any group with at least one masculine item or male.
- Las (Plural, Feminine) - Commonly acts as “they” when referring to groups of ==only== feminine items or females.
Demonstrative Pronouns
Demonstrative pronouns in English, such as this, those, or these exist in Spanish as well (just more complex). Demonstratives are commonly used in dialogue when in conjunction with a motion or signal such as pointing, picking up something, or looking.
| ]]This or These]](Object(s) you can touch) | ]]That or Those]](Object(s) close by that you can’t touch) | ]]That Over There or Those Over There]](Object(s) far away) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ]]Singular, Masculine*]] | Este | Ese | Aquel |
| ]]Singular, Feminine*]] | Esta | Esa | Aquella |
| ]]Plural, Masculine*]] | Estos | Esos | Aquellos |
| ]]Plural, Feminine*]] | Estas | Esas | Aquellas |
| ]]Singular, Neutral/Unknown*]] | Esto | Eso | Aquello |
^^*Note - Demonstrative Pronouns change their endings based on the object alluded to, NOT the thing that alludes to it.^^
Memory devices help some people remember the demonstratives. Here’s what works for me…
This or These - The object can be ==t==ouched. The t in “==t==ouch” reminds you that you need a t. ie, es==t==e
That or Those - The object cannot be ==t==ouched. The t in “==t==ouch” reminds you that you do not need a t. ie, ese
That Over There or Those Over There - The object is a long distance away, so the word takes a long distance to write. ie, Aquellos
Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns in English, such as mine, yours, theirs, or ours exist in Spanish as well (Just like demonstratives, in a more complex way). Possessives are used to describe the ownership of an item.
| ]]1st Person Singular]](Mine) | ]]2nd Person]](Yours) | ]]3rd Person]](Theirs) | ]]1st Person Plural]](Ours) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ]]Singular, Masculine*]] | Mío | Tuyo | Suyo | Nuestro |
| ]]Singular, Feminine*]] | Mía | Tuya | Suya | Nuestra |
| ]]Plural, Masculine*]] | Míos | Tuyos | Suyos | Nuestros |
| ]]Plural, Feminine*]] | Mías | Tuyas | Suyas | Nuestras |
^^*Note - Possessive Pronouns change their endings based on the object possessed, NOT the thing that possesses.^^
There is no good memory device for these, but memorizing them is simpler that the demonstratives for many people.
Practice
The best way to get used to these is through practice. This website for demonstratives and this website for possessives provide a helpful assortment of practice problems. Also, the flashcards attached to this set offer good basic practice.