¿Esto?
This?
A father tells his son that one day all this will be his, and the son asks back in disbelief with esto, without naming any of it.
From Matilda · Spanish audio
Spanish vocabularyA1 · Beginner
How to say "this" in Spanish
esto
pronounneuternever before a nounwith a noun: este, esta
"This" in Spanish is esto when no noun follows: Mira esto, ¿Y esto? With a noun, use este or esta to match its gender: este teléfono, esta mesa. For "these", the forms are estos and estas.
Hear "esto" in real movie scenes
Two short lines where nobody names the thing. Each video starts and stops on that line.
Mira esto.
Look at this.
In the jungle there's no time to explain, so you point and let esto say the rest.
From Jumanji: en la selva · Spanish audio
Everyday phrases with "this"
Three with esto and three with a noun. Notice which form each one takes.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| ¿Qué es esto? | What is this? |
| ¿Y esto? | And this? |
| Esto es para ti. | This is for you. |
| esta mañana | this morning |
| este fin de semana | this weekend |
| esta vez | this time |
Tip: Esta noche is the everyday way to say tonight.
Grammar: esto, este, esta
Three words for "this", and when each one fits.
No noun after esto
Mira esto. ¿Y esto? Use esto when you point but don't say what the thing is, or for a whole situation: Esto es difícil.With a noun: este, esta
Pick the form by the noun's gender and number: este teléfono, esta mesa, estos días, estas casas.This one
When everyone knows the noun, este or esta can stand in for it: Me gusta esta. I like this one.Esto, not estoy
esto is this, estoy is I am. Listen for the y at the end, and never write an accent on esto.Example sentences
Sentences from the Wordy Spanish course. Tap to listen.
¿Y esto?
And this?
Esto es mi teléfono.
This is my phone.
¿Buscas esto?
Are you looking for this?
Mira esto.
Look at this.
Common mistakes
Mistakes learners make with this word, and how to fix them.
✗este mesa
✓esta mesa
Mesa is feminine, so "this" takes the -a form.
✗¿Qué es este? (you don't know what it is)
✓¿Qué es esto?
If you can't name the thing yet, use the neuter form.
✗ésto
✓esto
Esto never takes a written accent.
Practice: 3 quick exercises
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1 of 3 · Watch and choose
What do you hear in the video?
The other 34 exercises on this topic are in the app.
How to remember it
Esto ends in o, like object. Use it for an object you point at but don't name.
Questions about "this" in Spanish
How do you say this in Spanish?
Esto when no noun follows: ¿Qué es esto? With a noun, este or esta: este fin de semana, esta vez.
How do you say "what is this" in Spanish?
¿Qué es esto? You use esto because you don't know yet what the thing is.
How do you say "this one" in Spanish?
Este or esta, matching the thing you mean: Quiero esta. I want this one. Esto doesn't work here, because it can't stand for a named noun.
How do you say "these" in Spanish?
Estos before masculine nouns and estas before feminine ones: estos libros, estas casas.
