How to Identify Objects in Spanish

In Spanish you identify persons, places and things by incorporating pronouns and using the verb ser (to be). Spanish pronouns must agree with the object they are modifying both in number and in gender. Although number agreement is common in English, gender agreement is grammatically novel.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Determine the number of the object. If the object is plural it will end in 's.' For example:
   
   las sillas (Chairs - plural)
   la silla (Chair - singular)

2. Determine the gender of the object. Typically if the object ends in 'a' it is feminine and masculine otherwise.
   
   la mesa (the table)
   el sesto (the basket)

3. Select a demonstrative pronoun by the following object characteristics.
   
   Masculine singular: esto(this)
   Masculine plural: estos(these)
   Feminine singular: esta(this)
   Feminine plural: estas(these)

4. Determine the relative distance of the object. You must determine if the object is slightly far away or very far away. There is no exact science to this and speakers have variable degrees of perception.

5. Incorporate distance into the paradigm.
   
   Masculine singular : (close)esto (far - that)eso (very far)aquel
   Masculine plural: (close)estos (far - those)esos (very far)aquellos
   Feminine singular: (close)esta (far - that)esa (very far)aquella
   Feminine plural: (close)estas (far - those)esas (very far)aquellas

Tips & Warnings

• Irregular gender for nouns is a topic unto its own.
• The pronoun "esto" is used generically, i.e "Hice todo esto" (I did all that).
• Remember that the 'll' sounds like English 'y.'
• In English "very far" can be denoted through a distance qualifier such as "over there" or "way out there" etc.