A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "This one" in Spanish
Use 'este' to point to something masculine and near you in Spanish. It's the direct translation of 'this one'.
este
ES-tehneutral
Spanish TTS · 0:01
When you want to indicate a specific masculine item that is close to you, like pointing to a shirt in a store. For example, 'Me gusta este' means 'I like this one'.
Alternatives
- estaUse this if the item you're pointing to is feminine.
- estoUse this for abstract ideas or when the gender of the item is unknown or irrelevant.
Ways to get it wrong
Forgetting the gender
Spanish nouns have gender; 'este' is for masculine nouns, while 'esta' is for feminine.
Using 'este' for things far away
Use 'ese' or 'aquel' for items that are not near you.
Frequently asked
How do I say 'this one' for a feminine noun?
You would use 'esta' instead of 'este'. For example, 'Me gusta esta camisa' means 'I like this shirt'.
What if I don't know the gender of the noun?
You can use 'esto' when referring to something abstract or when the gender is unknown. For example, '¿Qué es esto?' means 'What is this?'.
When do I use 'este' vs 'ese'?
'Este' is for something close to you, while 'ese' is for something close to the person you're talking to, or moderately far from both of you.
