aquella

/ah-KAY-yah/

that

A person standing in the foreground points across a field toward a tiny, distant red house situated on a far-off hill.

As an adjective, aquella means 'that' and is used before a feminine noun to point out something far away, like 'that house far away.'

aquella(adjective)

fA1

that

used before a feminine noun to point out something far away

Also:

yonder

literary or very specific regional use

📝 In Action

¿Quién vive en aquella casa roja?

Who lives in that red house (far away)?

Aquella señora de la esquina parece estar esperando el autobús.

That lady (over there) on the corner seems to be waiting for the bus.

Recuerdo aquella tarde de verano perfectamente.

I remember that summer afternoon perfectly.

💡 Grammar Points

Distance and Agreement

Use 'aquella' only with feminine singular nouns (like 'mesa' or 'casa'). It indicates the item is far away from both the speaker and the listener.

The 'Aquel' Family

'Aquella' belongs to a family of words that point far away: 'aquel' (masculine), 'aquellos' (masculine plural), and 'aquellas' (feminine plural).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Mixing Genders

Mistake: "Quiero aquel flor."

Correction: Quiero aquella flor. ('Flor' is feminine, so it needs the feminine pointer 'aquella'.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Visual Cue

Think of 'aquella' as pointing with a fully extended arm. If you can easily reach or touch the object, use 'esta' (this) or 'esa' (that, close).

A close-up view of a hand pointing past a large, brightly colored flower in the foreground toward a much smaller, distant flower on the horizon.

As a pronoun, aquella means 'that one,' referring specifically to a feminine item that is far away.

aquella(pronoun)

fA2

that one

referring to a far-away feminine item

Also:

the former

when contrasting two previously mentioned items

📝 In Action

Mi mochila es azul. ¿Ves aquella?

My backpack is blue. Do you see that one (far away)?

Compramos dos entradas: una para la función de hoy y aquella para la de mañana.

We bought two tickets: one for today's showing and that one (the former/the other) for tomorrow's.

No quiero esta bufanda, dame aquella que está en el escaparate.

I don't want this scarf, give me that one (far away) that's in the display window.

💡 Grammar Points

Standing Alone

When 'aquella' is used as a pronoun, it replaces the feminine noun entirely and stands alone, acting as the subject or object of the sentence.

Pronoun vs. Adjective

The meaning is the same as the adjective, but if you can put 'one' or 'ones' after the English translation, it's the pronoun form.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Adding the Noun

Mistake: "Aquella casa es bonita, pero aquella casa es más barata."

Correction: Aquella casa es bonita, pero aquella es más barata. (You only need the noun 'casa' once; 'aquella' takes its place the second time.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Historical Accent

In older Spanish texts, this pronoun form sometimes had an accent ('aquélla') to distinguish it from the adjective, but the Royal Spanish Academy now says the accent is usually not necessary.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: aquella

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'aquella'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

aquel(that (masculine singular, far)) - adjective

aquellas(those (feminine plural, far)) - adjective

aquellos(those (masculine plural, far)) - adjective

aquello(that thing (neuter, vague reference)) - pronoun

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'esa' and 'aquella'?

Both mean 'that' (feminine singular), but they show distance. 'Esa' means 'that' and is relatively close to the listener or moderately close to the speaker. 'Aquella' means 'that (one way over there)' and is far away from both the speaker and the listener.

Does 'aquella' ever have a time-related meaning?

Yes, 'aquella' can refer to a specific, often distant, point in the past. For example, 'en aquella época' means 'during that time' or 'back then'.