Inklingo

How to Say "the former" in Spanish

English → Spanish

aquel

ah-KEHL/aˈkel/

pronounA2general
Use 'aquel' when referring to the first of two things previously mentioned, especially if it is perceived as being farther away or less immediate.
A colorful illustration showing a hand pointing across the water at a distant, solitary lighthouse standing on a rocky island.

Examples

¿Ves mi mochila? No, no esa, aquel es la mía.

Do you see my backpack? No, not that one (close by), that one (way over there) is mine.

Prefiero aquel a este.

I prefer that one (far away) to this one (close to me).

Replacing the Noun

When 'aquel' stands alone and replaces a previously mentioned masculine singular noun, it acts as a pronoun. It means 'that thing/person that is far away'.

Optional Accent Mark

In older books, you might see 'aquél' with an accent mark to show it's a pronoun. Today, the Spanish Royal Academy says the accent is usually unnecessary, so just use 'aquel'.

aquella

ah-KAY-yah/aˈkeʎa/

pronounA2general
Use 'aquella' when contrasting two previously mentioned items, typically the feminine noun that was mentioned first and is perceived as farther away.
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.

Examples

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.

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.

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.)

Choosing Between 'Aquel' and 'Aquella'

The most common mistake is not agreeing the pronoun with the gender of the noun it replaces. 'Aquel' is masculine, and 'aquella' is feminine. Both imply distance or being the first of two mentioned items.

Related Translations

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