esa
/EH-sah/
Here, 'esa' points out 'that house,' which is a little way off from the speaker, perhaps closer to the person they're talking to.
esa (Adjective (Demonstrative))
📝 In Action
¿Me pasas esa silla, por favor?
A1Can you pass me that chair, please?
Esa idea es muy interesante.
A1That idea is very interesting.
No conozco a esa mujer.
A2I don't know that woman.
💡 Grammar Points
Pointing Out Feminine Nouns
Use 'esa' right before a feminine noun (like 'casa' or 'mesa') to point it out. It must match the noun in gender; for masculine nouns, you'd use 'ese'.
The Three Distances in Spanish
'Esa' is for things that are a medium distance away, often closer to the person you're talking to. Use 'esta' for things right here by you, and 'aquella' for things far away from both of you.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mixing up Gender
Mistake: "Quiero ese casa."
Correction: Quiero esa casa. The word 'casa' is feminine, so you need the feminine pointer 'esa' to match it.
⭐ Usage Tips
The 'T' Rule for Memory
A simple trick: words for 'this/these' have a 't' in them ('esta', 'este'). Words for 'that/those' don't ('esa', 'ese'). This helps you remember which one is for things close by.
Instead of repeating the word 'shirt' ('camisa'), you can just use 'esa' to mean 'that one'.
esa (Pronoun (Demonstrative))
📝 In Action
—¿Qué falda te gusta más? —Me gusta esa.
A1—Which skirt do you like more? —I like that one.
No quiero esta manzana, prefiero esa.
A2I don't want this apple, I prefer that one.
De todas las ideas que propusiste, esa es mi favorita.
B1Of all the ideas you proposed, that one is my favorite.
💡 Grammar Points
Replacing a Noun
When everyone already knows what you're talking about, you can use 'esa' by itself to mean 'that one'. It saves you from repeating the noun.
❌ Common Pitfalls
The Old Accent Mark
Mistake: "Sometimes you'll see 'ésa' written in older books."
Correction: You don't need the accent mark anymore! The official rule since 2010 is to write 'esa' without an accent, whether it's an adjective or a pronoun. It makes life simpler!
⭐ Usage Tips
Sounding More Natural
Using pronouns like 'esa' will make your Spanish sound much more fluid. Instead of saying 'Me gusta la casa. La casa es grande,' you can say 'Me gusta esa casa. Esa es grande.'
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: esa
Question 1 of 1
You are talking to a friend. You want to refer to a book that your friend is holding. Which sentence is correct?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the real difference between 'esa', 'esta', and 'aquella'?
It's all about distance from the speaker! Use 'esta' for something right here, close to you ('this'). Use 'esa' for something a little further away, maybe close to the person you're talking to ('that'). Use 'aquella' for something far away from both of you ('that over there').
Is 'eso' the same as 'ese' or 'esa'?
Not quite. 'Ese' and 'esa' point to specific masculine or feminine things ('ese coche', 'esa casa'). 'Eso' is neutral and refers to an idea, a situation, or something unknown. You'd say '¿Qué es eso?' ('What is that?') when you don't know what the thing is.