This and that, here and there
What are we pointing to from here and now?
Significado
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.
Como identificar
Look for words whose intended person, thing, place, or time depends on who is speaking and on the situation or conversation.
Na tua língua materna
Pointing words such as este, esse and aquele change to match the noun, while isto, isso and aquilo stand alone without naming it. Traditional usage distinguishes proximity to the speaker, proximity to the listener and greater distance, but everyday Brazilian speech often uses esse for things near either person. Aqui points to the speaker's location, aí commonly to the listener's location, and ali or lá to another location.
Me passa esse prato aí, por favor.
Esse and aí point to something near the listener.
Aquela padaria ali abre cedo.
Aquela and ali point to a location away from the speaker.
Isso não cabe na mochila.
Isso refers to something pointed out or already mentioned, without a following noun.
Na tua língua de aprendizagem
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.
Learners whose language uses the same pointing form with singular and plural nouns may confuse this with these or that with those. Learners whose language keeps an article after a pointing word may add an unnecessary article before the noun.