Demostrativos

Demonstratives show where an object, event, or person is in relation to the speaker. They can refer to a physical or a psychological closeness or distance. When talking about events, the near demonstratives are often used to refer to the present while the far demonstratives often refer to the past.

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Los demostrativos indican el grado de proximidad de un objeto, evento o persona respecto al hablante. Pueden referirse a proximidad física o psicológica. Al hablar de eventos, generalmente los demostrativos que indican cercanía se emplean para referirse al presente y los demostrativos que indican distancia para referirse al pasado.

  Cerca del hablante Lejos del hablante
Adverbio Here There
Demostrativos para nombres singulares
e incontables
This That
Demonstrativos para nombres plurales contables These Those

Uso de los demostrativos

Ejemplos
Cerca del hablante Lejos del hablante
Is this John's house? Is that John's house over there?
This is a nice surprise! That must have been a nice surprise for you.
These apples are mine. Those apples are yours.
What are you up to these days? Those days are long gone.
This time I won't be late. We really surprised you that time.
This sugar is for my crepes. You can use that sugar for your cake.

Situación en las oraciones

Los demostrativos pueden colocarse antes del nombre o antes de un adjetivo que modifica un nombre.

Ejemplos
  • This blue car needs to be washed next.
  • Those people were here first.
  • That metal rod should work.
  • These oranges are delicious.

Los demostrativos también pueden emplearse antes de una cifra cuando el nombre al que se refiere se entiende por el contexto.

Ejemplos
  • I'd like to try on that one.
  • This one is broken.
  • I'll take these three.
  • Those two are not as pretty as these two.

Un demostrativo puede aparecer solo cuando el nombre al que se refiere se sobreentiende a partir del contexto. 

Ejemplos
  • I'll never forget this.
  • That has nothing to do with me.
  • I didn't ask for these.
  • Those aren't mine.
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