Mastering “That” in Spanish: A Comprehensive Guide

Understanding how to translate and use the word “that” in Spanish is crucial for effective communication. “That” is a versatile word in English, serving as a demonstrative adjective, pronoun, conjunction, and relative pronoun.

Spanish, however, uses different words and grammatical structures to convey these various meanings. This guide provides a detailed exploration of how to express “that” in Spanish, covering its different forms, usage rules, common mistakes, and advanced topics.

Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, this article will equip you with the knowledge and practice to confidently use “that” in Spanish.

This comprehensive guide is designed for English speakers learning Spanish, Spanish speakers learning English, and anyone interested in mastering the nuances of Spanish grammar. By understanding the different ways to express “that” in Spanish, you can improve your fluency and accuracy in both speaking and writing.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Definition of “That” in Spanish
3. Structural Breakdown
4. Types and Categories
   • Demonstrative Adjectives
   • Demonstrative Pronouns
   • Conjunction
   • Relative Pronouns
5. Examples
   • Demonstrative Adjectives Examples
   • Demonstrative Pronouns Examples
   • Conjunction Examples
   • Relative Pronouns Examples
6. Usage Rules
   • Demonstrative Adjectives Rules
   • Demonstrative Pronouns Rules
   • Conjunction Rules
   • Relative Pronouns Rules
7. Common Mistakes
8. Practice Exercises
   • Exercise 1: Demonstrative Adjectives
   • Exercise 2: Demonstrative Pronouns
   • Exercise 3: Conjunctions
   • Exercise 4: Relative Pronouns
9. Advanced Topics
   • Advanced Demonstratives
   • Subjunctive with Conjunctions
   • Complex Relative Clauses
10. FAQ
11. Conclusion

Definition of “That” in Spanish

The English word “that” has multiple functions, each requiring a different translation in Spanish. It can act as a demonstrative adjective, specifying a particular noun; a demonstrative pronoun, replacing a noun; a conjunction, connecting clauses; or a relative pronoun, introducing a relative clause. Understanding these distinctions is essential for accurate translation and usage. In Spanish, the equivalents of “that” vary depending on the context and grammatical role it plays in the sentence.

Specifically, as a demonstrative adjective, “that” can translate to ese, esa, aquel, or aquella, depending on the gender and proximity of the noun it modifies. As a demonstrative pronoun, it can be ése, ésa, aquél, or aquélla. As a conjunction, “that” typically translates to que. Finally, as a relative pronoun, it also usually translates to que or, in some cases, el que, la que, los que, or las que.

Structural Breakdown

The structure of sentences using the Spanish equivalents of “that” depends on its grammatical function. As a demonstrative adjective, it precedes the noun it modifies, agreeing in gender and number.

As a demonstrative pronoun, it stands alone, replacing the noun. As a conjunction, it introduces a subordinate clause.

As a relative pronoun, it connects a relative clause to a main clause, referring back to a noun in the main clause.

For demonstrative adjectives and pronouns, Spanish distinguishes between “that” referring to something near and something far. Ese/Esa and ése/ésa refer to something closer to the listener, while aquel/aquella and aquél/aquélla refer to something further away from both the speaker and the listener. This distinction is crucial for conveying the intended meaning accurately.

Types and Categories

Demonstrative Adjectives

Demonstrative adjectives modify nouns, indicating which specific noun is being referred to. In Spanish, the demonstrative adjectives corresponding to “that” are ese, esa, aquel, and aquella. They must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. Use ese and esa for things that are “that” close to the listener but not the speaker. Use aquel and aquella for things that are “that” far from both the speaker and the listener.

Key Forms:

• Ese (masculine singular): That
• Esa (feminine singular): That
• Esos (masculine plural): Those
• Esas (feminine plural): Those
• Aquel (masculine singular): That (over there)
• Aquella (feminine singular): That (over there)
• Aquellos (masculine plural): Those (over there)
• Aquellas (feminine plural): Those (over there)

Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns replace nouns, avoiding repetition. The Spanish demonstrative pronouns corresponding to “that” are ése, ésa, aquél, and aquélla. These pronouns also agree in gender and number with the noun they replace. Note the accent mark, which distinguishes them from the demonstrative adjectives. Like the adjectives, ése and ésa refer to something closer to the listener, while aquél and aquélla refer to something further away.

Key Forms:

• Ése (masculine singular): That one
• Ésa (feminine singular): That one
• Ésos (masculine plural): Those ones
• Ésas (feminine plural): Those ones
• Aquél (masculine singular): That one (over there)
• Aquélla (feminine singular): That one (over there)
• Aquéllos (masculine plural): Those ones (over there)
• Aquéllas (feminine plural): Those ones (over there)

Conjunction

As a conjunction, “that” introduces a subordinate clause. In Spanish, this is usually translated as que. It connects a dependent clause to an independent clause, indicating a relationship between the two. The subordinate clause often provides additional information or explains the main clause.

Key Form:

• Que: That

Relative Pronouns

As a relative pronoun, “that” introduces a relative clause, which provides additional information about a noun in the main clause. In Spanish, this is commonly translated as que, but can also be el que, la que, los que, or las que, depending on the gender and number of the noun it refers to. Using el que, la que, etc., is often necessary for clarity, especially when the relative clause is separated from the noun it modifies.

Key Forms:

• Que: That, which, who
• El que (masculine singular): The one that, the one who
• La que (feminine singular): The one that, the one who
• Los que (masculine plural): The ones that, the ones who
• Las que (feminine plural): The ones that, the ones who

Examples

Demonstrative Adjectives Examples

The following table provides examples of how to use demonstrative adjectives to express “that” in Spanish. Note the agreement in gender and number between the adjective and the noun.

English	Spanish
That book is interesting.	Ese libro es interesante.
That house is beautiful.	Esa casa es hermosa.
Those cars are expensive.	Esos coches son caros.
Those flowers are pretty.	Esas flores son bonitas.
That tree over there is tall.	Aquel árbol es alto.
That mountain over there is majestic.	Aquella montaña es majestuosa.
Those buildings over there are old.	Aquellos edificios son antiguos.
Those stars over there are bright.	Aquellas estrellas son brillantes.
That dog is barking.	Ese perro está ladrando.
That cat is sleeping.	Esa gata está durmiendo.
Those children are playing.	Esos niños están jugando.
Those women are talking.	Esas mujeres están hablando.
That man over there is my uncle.	Aquel hombre es mi tío.
That woman over there is my aunt.	Aquella mujer es mi tía.
Those birds over there are singing.	Aquellos pájaros están cantando.
Those clouds over there are dark.	Aquellas nubes están oscuras.
That shirt is too small.	Esa camisa es demasiado pequeña.
That suit is very elegant.	Ese traje es muy elegante.
Those shoes are uncomfortable.	Esos zapatos son incómodos.
Those gloves are very warm.	Esos guantes son muy cálidos.
That car over there is mine.	Aquel coche de allá es mío.
That bike over there is new.	Aquella bicicleta de allá es nueva.
Those motorcycles over there are fast.	Aquellas motocicletas de allá son rápidas.
Those planes over there are flying high.	Aquellos aviones de allá están volando alto.
That idea is brilliant.	Esa idea es brillante.
That plan is complicated.	Ese plan es complicado.
Those thoughts are interesting.	Esos pensamientos son interesantes.
Those feelings are strong.	Esos sentimientos son fuertes.

Demonstrative Pronouns Examples

The following table provides examples of how to use demonstrative pronouns to express “that one” or “those ones” in Spanish. Remember to use the accent mark to distinguish them from the demonstrative adjectives.

English	Spanish
Which book do you want? That one.	¿Qué libro quieres? Ése.
Which house is yours? That one.	¿Cuál casa es tuya? Ésa.
Which cars are yours? Those ones.	¿Cuáles coches son tuyos? Ésos.
Which flowers do you like? Those ones.	¿Cuáles flores te gustan? Ésas.
Which tree is the tallest? That one over there.	¿Cuál árbol es el más alto? Aquél.
Which mountain is the most majestic? That one over there.	¿Cuál montaña es la más majestuosa? Aquélla.
Which buildings are the oldest? Those ones over there.	¿Cuáles edificios son los más antiguos? Aquéllos.
Which stars are the brightest? Those ones over there.	¿Cuáles estrellas son las más brillantes? Aquéllas.
Which dog is barking? That one.	¿Cuál perro está ladrando? Ése.
Which cat is sleeping? That one.	¿Cuál gata está durmiendo? Ésa.
Which children are playing? Those ones.	¿Cuáles niños están jugando? Ésos.
Which women are talking? Those ones.	¿Cuáles mujeres están hablando? Ésas.
Which man is your uncle? That one over there.	¿Cuál hombre es tu tío? Aquél.
Which woman is your aunt? That one over there.	¿Cuál mujer es tu tía? Aquélla.
Which birds are singing? Those ones over there.	¿Cuáles pájaros están cantando? Aquéllos.
Which clouds are dark? Those ones over there.	¿Cuáles nubes están oscuras? Aquéllas.
Which shirt is too small? That one.	¿Cuál camisa es demasiado pequeña? Ésa.
Which suit is elegant? That one.	¿Cuál traje es elegante? Ése.
Which shoes are uncomfortable? Those ones.	¿Cuáles zapatos son incómodos? Ésos.
Which gloves are warm? Those ones.	¿Cuáles guantes son cálidos? Ésas.
Which car is yours? That one over there.	¿Cuál coche es tuyo? Aquél.
Which bike is new? That one over there.	¿Cuál bicicleta es nueva? Aquélla.
Which motorcycles are fast? Those ones over there.	¿Cuáles motocicletas son rápidas? Aquéllas.
Which planes are flying high? Those ones over there.	¿Cuáles aviones están volando alto? Aquéllos.
Which idea is brilliant? That one.	¿Cuál idea es brillante? Ésa.
Which plan is complicated? That one.	¿Cuál plan es complicado? Ése.
Which thoughts are interesting? Those ones.	¿Cuáles pensamientos son interesantes? Ésos.
Which feelings are strong? Those ones.	¿Cuáles sentimientos son fuertes? Ésos.

Conjunction Examples

The following table provides examples of how to use que as a conjunction to express “that” in Spanish.

English	Spanish
I think that it is a good idea.	Pienso que es una buena idea.
She said that she was tired.	Ella dijo que estaba cansada.
He knows that she is right.	Él sabe que ella tiene razón.
We believe that it is important.	Creemos que es importante.
They hope that you will come.	Esperan que vengas.
It is clear that he is lying.	Es claro que él está mintiendo.
It seems that it will rain.	Parece que va a llover.
I’m glad that you are here.	Me alegro de que estés aquí.
I understand that you are busy.	Entiendo que estás ocupado.
I’m sure that he will succeed.	Estoy seguro de que tendrá éxito.
She hopes that he will call.	Ella espera que él llame.
He doubts that it is true.	Él duda que sea verdad.
We fear that it is too late.	Tememos que sea demasiado tarde.
They deny that they did it.	Niegan que lo hayan hecho.
It is possible that it will snow.	Es posible que nieve.
It is necessary that you study.	Es necesario que estudies.
I want you to be happy.	Quiero que seas feliz.
She needs him to understand.	Ella necesita que él entienda.
He prefers that she stays.	Él prefiere que ella se quede.
We suggest that you try it.	Sugerimos que lo intentes.
They recommend that you visit.	Recomiendan que visites.
I insist that you eat something.	Insisto en que comas algo.
She demands that he apologize.	Ella exige que él se disculpe.
He allows that she goes.	Él permite que ella vaya.
We forbid that you do that.	Prohibimos que hagas eso.
They advise that you be careful.	Aconsejan que tengas cuidado.
It is important that we help.	Es importante que ayudemos.

Relative Pronouns Examples

The following table provides examples of how to use que, el que, la que, los que, and las que as relative pronouns to express “that,” “who,” or “which” in Spanish.

English	Spanish
The book that I read was interesting.	El libro que leí era interesante.
The house that I bought is beautiful.	La casa que compré es hermosa.
The man who helped me was kind.	El hombre que me ayudó fue amable.
The woman who I met was friendly.	La mujer que conocí era amigable.
The books that are on the table are mine.	Los libros que están en la mesa son míos.
The flowers that are in the vase are pretty.	Las flores que están en el jarrón son bonitas.
The man who is talking is my father.	El hombre que está hablando es mi padre.
The woman who is singing is my sister.	La mujer que está cantando es mi hermana.
The person who helps others is a good person.	La persona que ayuda a otros es una buena persona.
The one who studies a lot will pass the exam.	El que estudia mucho aprobará el examen.
The ones that study a lot will pass the exam.	Los que estudian mucho aprobarán el examen.
The girl who is wearing the red dress is my friend.	La chica que lleva el vestido rojo es mi amiga.
The boys who are playing soccer are my cousins.	Los chicos que están jugando al fútbol son mis primos.
The women who are working here are very efficient.	Las mujeres que están trabajando aquí son muy eficientes.
The car that is parked outside is mine.	El coche que está aparcado afuera es mío.
The restaurant that you recommended is excellent.	El restaurante que me recomendaste es excelente.
The movie that we saw last night was very moving.	La película que vimos anoche fue muy conmovedora.
The one who knows the answer should raise their hand.	El que sabe la respuesta debe levantar la mano.
The ones who know the answer should raise their hands.	Los que saben la respuesta deben levantar las manos.
The book that I borrowed from the library is very interesting.	El libro que pedí prestado de la biblioteca es muy interesante.
The song that she sang moved everyone.	La canción que cantó emocionó a todos.
The ones who arrive late will have to wait outside.	Los que lleguen tarde tendrán que esperar afuera.
The ones that are prepared will succeed.	Las que están preparadas tendrán éxito.
The person that is responsible for this is not here.	La persona que es responsable de esto no está aquí.
The one that wins will receive a prize.	El que gane recibirá un premio.
The ones that win will receive prizes.	Los que ganen recibirán premios.
The problem that we are facing is very complicated.	El problema al que nos enfrentamos es muy complicado.

Usage Rules

Demonstrative Adjectives Rules

Demonstrative adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. Ese and esa are used for things close to the listener but not the speaker, while aquel and aquella are used for things far from both. Always place the demonstrative adjective before the noun.

Example:

• Correct: Ese libro es mío. (That book is mine.)
• Incorrect: Libro ese es mío.
• Correct: Aquella casa es grande. (That house over there is big.)
• Incorrect: Casa aquella es grande.

Demonstrative Pronouns Rules

Demonstrative pronouns replace nouns and must agree in gender and number with the noun they replace. Use the accent mark to distinguish them from demonstrative adjectives. Ése and ésa refer to something closer to the listener, while aquél and aquélla refer to something further away.

Example:

• Correct: ¿Cuál quieres? Ése. (Which one do you want? That one.)
• Incorrect: ¿Cuál quieres? Ese.
• Correct: ¿Cuál es tu casa? Aquélla. (Which is your house? That one over there.)
• Incorrect: ¿Cuál es tu casa? Aquella.

Conjunction Rules

The conjunction que is used to introduce subordinate clauses. It does not change based on gender or number. When the subordinate clause expresses doubt, uncertainty, or emotion, the subjunctive mood is often required.

Example:

• Correct: Pienso que es verdad. (I think that it is true.)
• Correct: Dudo que sea verdad. (I doubt that it is true.) (Subjunctive)
• Incorrect: Pienso que sea verdad. (Incorrect use of subjunctive)

Relative Pronouns Rules

The relative pronoun que is generally used to introduce relative clauses. However, el que, la que, los que, and las que are used for clarity, especially when the relative clause is separated from the noun it modifies, or after prepositions. They must agree in gender and number with the noun they refer to.

Example:

• Correct: El libro que leí era bueno. (The book that I read was good.)
• Correct: El libro del que te hablé era bueno. (The book that I told you about was good.) (After preposition)
• Correct: *”Los estudiantes *a los que* les di el libro son inteligentes.”* (The students *to whom* I gave the book are intelligent.)
• Incorrect: El libro de que te hablé era bueno.

Common Mistakes

One common mistake is using ese/esa and aquel/aquella interchangeably. Remember that ese/esa refers to something closer to the listener, while aquel/aquella refers to something further away from both.

Another common mistake is omitting the accent mark on demonstrative pronouns (ése, ésa, aquél, aquélla), which can cause confusion with the demonstrative adjectives (ese, esa, aquel, aquella).

Using the incorrect mood (indicative vs. subjunctive) after the conjunction que is also a frequent error. Remember to use the subjunctive when expressing doubt, uncertainty, or emotion.

Finally, incorrectly using que instead of el que, la que, etc., especially after prepositions, can lead to unclear or grammatically incorrect sentences.

Incorrect	Correct	Explanation
Aquel libro es mío (when the book is near the listener).	Ese libro es mío.	Aquel implies the book is far from both speaker and listener.
Ese es mi casa.	Ésa es mi casa.	Missing accent on demonstrative pronoun and incorrect gender.
Pienso que sea verdad.	Pienso que es verdad.	Incorrect use of subjunctive with a statement of belief.
El libro de que te hablé era bueno.	El libro del que te hablé era bueno.	Incorrect use of que after the preposition de.

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Demonstrative Adjectives

Fill in the blanks with the correct demonstrative adjective (ese, esa, aquel, aquella, esos, esas, aquellos, aquellas).

Question	Answer
_____ libro es interesante.	Ese
_____ casa es hermosa.	Esa
_____ coches son caros.	Esos
_____ flores son bonitas.	Esas
_____ árbol es alto (over there).	Aquel
_____ montaña es majestuosa (over there).	Aquella
_____ edificios son antiguos (over there).	Aquellos
_____ estrellas son brillantes (over there).	Aquellas
_____ perro está ladrando.	Ese
_____ gata está durmiendo.	Esa

Exercise 2: Demonstrative Pronouns

Answer the questions using the correct demonstrative pronoun (ése, ésa, aquél, aquélla, ésos, ésas, aquéllos, aquéllas).

Question	Answer
¿Qué libro quieres?	Ése.
¿Cuál casa es tuya?	Ésa.
¿Cuáles coches son tuyos?	Ésos.
¿Cuáles flores te gustan?	Ésas.
¿Cuál árbol es el más alto (over there)?	Aquél.
¿Cuál montaña es la más majestuosa (over there)?	Aquélla.
¿Cuáles edificios son los más antiguos (over there)?	Aquéllos.
¿Cuáles estrellas son las más brillantes (over there)?	Aquéllas.
¿Cuál perro está ladrando?	Ése.
¿Cuál gata está durmiendo?	Ésa.

Exercise 3: Conjunctions

Translate the following sentences into Spanish using que as a conjunction.

English	Spanish
I think that it is a good idea.	Pienso que es una buena idea.
She said that she was tired.	Ella dijo que estaba cansada.
He knows that she is right.	Él sabe que ella tiene razón.
We believe that it is important.	Creemos que es importante.
They hope that you will come.	Esperan que vengas.

Exercise 4: Relative Pronouns

Translate the following sentences into Spanish using que, el que, la que, los que, or las que.

English	Spanish
The book that I read was interesting.	El libro que leí era interesante.
The house that I bought is beautiful.	La casa que compré es hermosa.
The man who helped me was kind.	El hombre que me ayudó fue amable.
The woman who I met was friendly.	La mujer que conocí era amigable.
The books that are on the table are mine.	Los libros que están en la mesa son míos.

Advanced Topics

Advanced Demonstratives

In more advanced Spanish, you might encounter neutral demonstrative pronouns like esto, eso, and aquello. These refer to unspecified or abstract ideas, situations, or concepts.

Examples:

• Esto es importante. (This is important.)
• Eso no me gusta. (I don’t like that.)
• Aquello fue increíble. (That was incredible.)

Subjunctive with Conjunctions

Certain conjunctions require the subjunctive mood in the subordinate clause. These include conjunctions expressing doubt, desire, emotion, or uncertainty, such as a menos que (unless), antes de que (before), para que (so that), and sin que (without).

Examples:

• No saldré a menos que deje de llover. (I will not go out unless it stops raining.)
• Llámame antes de que te vayas. (Call me before you leave.)
• Lo hago para que seas feliz. (I do it so that you are happy.)
• Salió sin que nadie lo viera. (He left without anyone seeing him.)

Complex Relative Clauses

Complex relative clauses involve more intricate structures, often requiring the use of prepositions and more specific relative pronouns like cuyo/cuya (whose) or constructions with el cual/la cual (which). These are used to clarify relationships and avoid ambiguity.

Examples:

• El hombre cuya casa vimos es mi vecino. (The man whose house we saw is my neighbor.)
• La ciudad en la cual nací es muy pequeña. (The city in which I was born is very small.)

FAQ

When should I use “ese/esa” vs. “aquel/aquella”?

Use ese/esa when referring to something closer to the listener than to the speaker. Use aquel/aquella when referring to something distant from both the speaker and the listener.

How can I remember the difference between demonstrative adjectives and pronouns?

Demonstrative pronouns have an accent mark (ése, ésa, aquél, aquélla) to distinguish them from demonstrative adjectives (ese, esa, aquel, aquella). Pronouns replace the noun, while adjectives modify it.

When do I use the subjunctive after “que”?

Use the subjunctive after que when the main clause expresses doubt, uncertainty, emotion, desire, or when using certain conjunctions like a menos que, antes de que, para que, and sin que.

Why use “el que,” “la que,” etc., instead of just “que” as a relative pronoun?

Use el que, la que, los que, and las que for clarity, especially when the relative clause is separated from the noun it modifies or after prepositions. This avoids ambiguity and ensures grammatical correctness.

Conclusion

Mastering the use of “that” in Spanish requires understanding its different functions and the appropriate translations for each context. By distinguishing between demonstrative adjectives, demonstrative pronouns, conjunctions, and relative pronouns, and by following the usage rules and avoiding common mistakes, you can significantly improve your accuracy and fluency in Spanish.

Practice the exercises provided and continue to explore advanced topics to further refine your skills. With dedication and attention to detail, you will confidently and effectively use “that” in Spanish.