estes
HighNeutral to formal; common in written and spoken language. The pronominal use is slightly more formal than the determiner use.
Definition
Meaning
Determiner and demonstrative pronoun; plural form of 'este', meaning 'these' (masculine plural). Used to indicate objects or people close to the speaker in space, time, or thought.
In historical or formal contexts, can be used as a noun to refer to 'these men' or 'these things'. In rhetoric, used for emphasis when presenting a series of points or items.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Specifically masculine plural. The feminine plural form is 'estas'. Its deictic (pointing) function is proximal, contrasting with 'esos' (medial) and 'aquellos' (distal). Can have an affective connotation of involvement or immediacy.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
As a Spanish word, regional variations exist between European and Latin American Spanish. In Latin America, 'estos' might be preferred in some regions where 'estes' is considered archaic or dialectal. In some Latin American countries, the final 's' might be aspirated or softened.
Connotations
In European Spanish, standard and neutral. In some parts of Latin America, may sound formal, literary, or slightly archaic compared to 'estos'.
Frequency
Extremely high frequency in all varieties of Spanish as a core grammatical item.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Estes] + [Noun Phrase] (as determiner)[Verb] + [estes] (as pronoun, object)De + [estes] (partitive, e.g., 'alguno de estes')Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “En estes momentos (right now, at this very moment)”
- “Por estes lares (around these parts, informal)”
- “Entre estes y aquellos (between these and those, meaning 'all things considered' or 'one way or another')”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in reports and presentations to refer to specific data points, products, or individuals under discussion. 'Analizaremos estes datos en la siguiente sección.'
Academic
Common in essays and research to introduce or refer back to a set of arguments, examples, or sources. 'Estes hallazgos contradicen la teoría previa.'
Everyday
Ubiquitous for pointing out objects near the speaker. '¿Podrías pasarme estes libros?'
Technical
Used in manuals or instructions to specify components or steps. 'Conecte estes cables a las terminales indicadas.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Not applicable as a verb.
American English
- Not applicable as a verb.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable as an adverb.
American English
- Not applicable as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- Not applicable as a standalone adjective; it is a determiner.
American English
- Not applicable as a standalone adjective; it is a determiner.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Estes zapatos son muy cómodos.
- ¿De quién son estes lápices?
- Me gustan estes colores.
- Prefiero estes modelos a los que vimos ayer.
- De todos los candidatos, estes son los más preparados.
- No entiendo estes problemas de matemáticas.
- Los argumentos expuestos, y estes en particular, requieren mayor análisis.
- A diferencia de los anteriores, estes informes contienen datos actualizados.
- ¿Podría ampliar la explicación sobre estes que ha mencionado?
- Sobre la base de estes presupuestos epistemológicos, se construye la teoría crítica.
- Estes, a los que nos referiremos en adelante como 'los ejemplares tipo', presentan características únicas.
- La validez de estes postulados ha sido cuestionada recientemente.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'ESTES' as 'E-S-T' (East) + 'S'. 'These' things are in the East, close to you. Or link it to 'ESTE' (this) + S (for plural).
Conceptual Metaphor
PROXIMITY IS RELEVANCE / INVOLVEMENT. Objects labeled 'estes' are metaphorically 'closer' to the current topic, speaker's concern, or narrative focus.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with Russian 'эти' which is similarly proximal but has different case/gender agreements. Remember Spanish requires gender agreement with the noun, not the speaker/listener. Avoid using 'estes' for feminine nouns ('estas').
Common Mistakes
- Using 'estes' with feminine nouns (e.g., 'estes casas' instead of 'estas casas').
- Overusing the pronominal form where the determiner is clearer.
- Confusing 'estes' (proximal) with 'esos' (medial) based on physical distance.
- Incorrectly using it as a singular form.
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'estes' correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Estes' is the standard masculine plural demonstrative in Spanish. However, in some informal spoken dialects, particularly in the Caribbean or Andalusia, the final '-s' may be aspirated or dropped, sounding like 'ehte' or 'ehte'. The written form remains 'estes'.
They are the same word. 'Estes' is the traditional, etymological form. 'Estos' is a common modern variant that arose from phonetic change. Both are correct and used interchangeably in most contexts, though 'estos' is more frequent in modern speech and writing across many regions.
Yes, when used as a pronoun. For example: 'Estes son los responsables' (These are the responsible ones). It functions as the subject of the sentence.
Use 'estes' for people or things perceived as close to the speaker (in space, time, or psychologically). Use 'esos' for things closer to the listener or at a middle distance. If you are holding a book, it's 'estes libros'. If the book is on the table near your friend, it's 'esos libros'.