This and that, here and there
What are we pointing to from here and now?
Meaning
Pointing words connect what we say to people, things, places, or times in the situation or conversation. They let us refer to something nearby, farther away, just mentioned, or relevant now. Languages divide these choices differently: some also distinguish what is near the listener, and context can sometimes replace a pointing word. Unlike Near and far, this block is about pointing from a speaker's viewpoint, not simply describing distance.
How to spot it
Look for words whose intended person, thing, place, or time depends on who is speaking and on the situation or conversation.
In your native language
English uses this/these for something presented as near and that/those for something presented as farther away. These words can stand alone or come directly before a noun, without an article. Here/there point to places and now/then to times; pointing words can also refer to parts of the conversation.
This bag is mine; that one is yours.
This presents one bag as near; that points to another bag farther away.
These shoes are wet.
These is the plural form used for things presented as near.
Please wait here.
Here points to the place where the speaker is, or the place the speaker indicates.
In your learning language
Este/esta usually points near the speaker, ese/esa often near the listener or at some distance, and aquel/aquella farther away, though context can loosen these distinctions. Aquí, ahí, and allí make broadly similar distinctions for places. Forms used with nouns match their masculine or feminine group and number, while esto, eso, and aquello stand alone for an unidentified thing, an idea, or a situation.
Esta silla está libre.
This chair is free.
Esta points to a nearby chair and matches the feminine noun silla.
Esa mochila que tienes ahí es de Lucía.
That backpack you have there belongs to Lucía.
Esa and ahí point toward the listener's location.
Aquel edificio de allí es la biblioteca.
That building over there is the library.
Aquel and allí point to a more distant place.
Learners whose language has only two distance choices may collapse ese and aquel into one form. Learners whose pointing words do not change for gender may confuse este/esta or use esto before a noun.