Voted Best Answer
Mar 12, 2011 - 09:47 AM
I like the rhyme! But "these" and "those" isn't quite correct:
ThisSingular
este = this (masculine)
esta = this (feminine)
esto = this (neither masculine or feminine, but instead referring to something more ambiguous -- more on this at the end)
Plural
estos = these (masculine; note that it's NOT "estes" !!!)
estas = these (feminine)
estos = these (the ambiguous case again... with plural, it's the same as the masculine case)
ThatSingular
ese = this (masculine)
esa = this (feminine)
eso = this (neither masculine or feminine, but instead referring to something more ambiguous -- more on this at the end)
Plural
esos = these (masculine; note that it's NOT "estes" !!!)
esas = these (feminine)
esos = these (the ambiguous case again... with plural, it's the same as the masculine case)
The Ambiguous Case (the "neuter")
You use this when what you're referring to is kinda vague. For example, let's assume you just gave me some presentation on a full-proof, get-rich-quick scheme. I might reply with "This is great!" In this case, "this" is a bit ambiguous. Sure, it could be referring to the presentation (la presentacion, feminine), it could be referring to the plan (el plan, masculine), but it's more than that. It's referring to the scheme and all it encompasses, rather than a very specific THING. So, "Esto es fantastico!"
ThisSingular
este = this (masculine)
esta = this (feminine)
esto = this (neither masculine or feminine, but instead referring to something more ambiguous -- more on this at the end)
Plural
estos = these (masculine; note that it's NOT "estes" !!!)
estas = these (feminine)
estos = these (the ambiguous case again... with plural, it's the same as the masculine case)
ThatSingular
ese = this (masculine)
esa = this (feminine)
eso = this (neither masculine or feminine, but instead referring to something more ambiguous -- more on this at the end)
Plural
esos = these (masculine; note that it's NOT "estes" !!!)
esas = these (feminine)
esos = these (the ambiguous case again... with plural, it's the same as the masculine case)
The Ambiguous Case (the "neuter")
You use this when what you're referring to is kinda vague. For example, let's assume you just gave me some presentation on a full-proof, get-rich-quick scheme. I might reply with "This is great!" In this case, "this" is a bit ambiguous. Sure, it could be referring to the presentation (la presentacion, feminine), it could be referring to the plan (el plan, masculine), but it's more than that. It's referring to the scheme and all it encompasses, rather than a very specific THING. So, "Esto es fantastico!"