Original post by Danmoller | Archived post
Hi there.
One of the confusing things in Portuguese is how to choose between "isto" and "este" (or esta/estes/estas).
Just an observation before starting:
This topic is not about the difference between "isto", "isso" and "aquilo" or between "este", "esse" and "aquele".
This is about the difference between "isto" and "este"; "isso" and "esse"; "aquilo" and "aquele".
Well, the choice gets a lot easier when you remember that:
- isto = this thing (or just this)
- este = this one (singular masculine)
- estas = these ones (plural feminine)
You will notice that "isto" never points to anything else in the sentence. You cannot write "isto carro", "isto bicicleta". And it even has no plural nor inflections at all.
Now "este" points to nouns and has inflecitons: "este carro", "estas bicicletas" (this car, these bikes). Even if the noun is not written, "este" keeps ponting to its hidden noun.
So, one trick you can try when you see "this" in an English sentence is replacing it for "this thing/stuff" or for just "it". If it works, then you are dealing with "isto". (Notice that you wouldn't refer to people or to animals as "this thing" unless in specific contexts. Using "isto" is really treating things like objects.)
If it doesn't work, then try replacing it for "this one" or even "this noun". Now, that is surely "este/esta".
And when you see "these", then you are sure it's "estes/estas", because "isto" just doesn't have a plural form.
This same idea applies also when choosing between "isso/esse(as)" and "aquilo/aquele(as)".
Examples:
What is this? - What is this thing? - O que é isto?
Who is this? - Who is this one?/Who is this person? - Quem é este/esta? (Notice that if you are not pointing to the person you want to know who he/she is, then you would ask just "Quem é?" = "Who is it?")
This is a cat. - This thing is a cat. - Isto é um gato.
This is a cat. - This one is a cat. - Este é um gato.
This is my cat: (In this example, there are two questions, the answers normally follow the same option that was in the question.)
If the question was (What is this? - O que é isto?): This thing is my cat. / Isto é meu gato. (Better for objects than for cats or people, isto is used here only because of the question, the person probably didn't recognize the "thing" as a cat when asking, or was probably asking "What does this mean, a cat here?")
If the question was (Who is this one? - Quem é este?): This one is my cat. / This cat is my cat. / Este é o meu gato. (Better for people, but you might refer to a cat as "who".)
- This is the car I saw yesterday. - Fits best with "This one is the car...." or "This car is the car...", then: Este é o carro que vi ontem.
Differences between "isto/este/isso/esse/aquilo/aquele" and their combinations with prepositions: viewtopic.php?t=1848
Go back to the Portuguese Help Index: viewtopic.php?t=1829
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