éste
“éste” means “this one” in Spanish (referring to a masculine thing).
this one
Also: the latter, this
📝 In Action
No me gusta ese coche, prefiero éste.
A1I don't like that car, I prefer this one.
De los dos pasteles, ¿cuál quieres? —Quiero éste.
A2Of the two cakes, which one do you want? —I want this one.
Hablé con el gerente y con su asistente; éste me dio la información.
B1I spoke with the manager and his assistant; the latter gave me the information.
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: éste
Question 1 of 1
Your friend shows you two phones (dos teléfonos) and asks '¿Cuál te gusta más?'. To say 'This one' while pointing at the one in your hand, you should say:
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin phrase 'iste hic', which meant 'that one here'. Over centuries of being spoken, it smoothed out to become the Spanish 'este'.
First recorded: Early forms appeared around the 10th century.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the real difference between 'éste' and 'este'? Do I absolutely need the accent mark?
'Éste' with an accent is a pronoun that means 'this one'. It stands alone. 'Este' without an accent is a descriptor that means 'this', and it must be followed by a noun (like 'este libro'). As for the accent, the official rule since 2010 is that it's no longer required unless leaving it out would make a sentence confusing. However, many people and publications still use it out of habit. It's best to learn to recognize it, but you probably won't get in trouble for leaving it out.
Why can't I just say 'este uno' for 'this one'?
That's a great question because it's a direct translation from English! However, in Spanish, the pronoun 'éste' already has the idea of 'one' built into it. Saying 'este uno' sounds as unnatural to a Spanish speaker as saying 'this one book' might sound in English. Just remember: 'éste' = 'this one'.