A close-up view of three identical, brightly colored toy cars sitting on a simple wooden surface. The cars are positioned near the bottom edge of the frame, emphasizing their proximity to the viewer.

éstos

ESS-tohs

pronounmA2

these ones?referring to masculine plural nouns close to the speaker

Also:these?when the noun is clearly understood

📝 In Action

Me gustan mucho los zapatos azules. ¿Cuánto cuestan éstos?

I really like the blue shoes. How much do these ones cost?

Hay dos grupos de estudiantes. Éstos terminaron el examen, pero aquéllos aún no.

There are two groups of students. These ones finished the exam, but those (far away) haven't yet.

De todos los problemas que enfrentamos, éstos son los más urgentes.

Of all the problems we face, these (ones) are the most urgent.

Word Connections

Antonyms

aquéllos (those (far away))

Common Collocations

Éstos son los míos – These ones are mine

💡 Grammar Points

Replacing the Noun

As a pronoun, 'éstos' replaces a masculine plural noun you’ve already mentioned (e.g., 'los libros') so you don't repeat it. It always stands alone.

Indicating Closeness

'Éstos' is used for things or people that are very close to the speaker (like saying 'right here').

Pronoun vs. Adjective

The accent mark used to be required to show it was the pronoun ('éstos' = these ones) and not the adjective ('estos' = these books). While the accent is often dropped now, using it clearly signals you mean the pronoun.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Mixing Gender

Mistake: "¿Dónde están las mesas? Quiero éstos."

Correction: ¿Dónde están las mesas? Quiero éstas. (Tables are feminine, so use 'éstas'.)

⭐ Usage Tips

The Three Distances

Remember the distance scale: 'éstos' (here, near me), 'ésos' (there, near you), and 'aquéllos' (way over there, far from both of us).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: éstos

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'éstos' correctly?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

éste(this one (masc. sing.)) - pronoun

ésta(this one (fem. sing.)) - pronoun

esto(this (neutral)) - pronoun

estos(these (adjective)) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does 'éstos' have an accent mark?

The accent mark traditionally helped distinguish the pronoun 'éstos' (which stands alone, meaning 'these ones') from the adjective 'estos' (which modifies a noun, meaning 'these books'). While many people omit the accent now, keeping it is a clear way to show you are using the pronoun form.

What is the difference between 'éstos' and 'esos'?

'Éstos' refers to things close to the speaker (here, near me). 'Esos' refers to things that are close to the person you are talking to (there, near you).