ese
/ˈese/
In Spanish, ese is the word for that.
ese is a word used to identify a specific person or thing previously mentioned or known.
Which one should you use?
ese refers to something relatively close to the person being spoken to, while este refers to something near the speaker. If the object is much further away in space or time, use aquel instead.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Caribbean countries and coastal regions of Latin America, the 'S' sound is less emphasized and can be elided in certain positions.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the word must change to match the gender and number of the noun it modifies: use esa if the noun is feminine, esos if referring to a group of masculine nouns and esas if referring to a group of feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈese/
Did you know?
- In Chicano English and some Spanish dialects, ese is used as a slang noun to mean 'dude' or 'homie' regardless of its grammatical function as a pointer.
- The Spanish word ese shares the same Latin root as the English philosophical term 'ipseity', which refers to the quality of being oneself.
- Using ese as a pronoun to refer to a person can convey a dismissive or derogatory tone, similar to the English phrase 'that guy'.
Examples in context
- Una mujer no apareció mágicamente en el transbordador espacial. Requirió la dedicación implacable de Sally Ride y el coraje sin fin de Mae Jemison para hacer añicos ese techo de cristal.A woman did not magically appear on a space shuttle. It took Sally Ride’s relentless commitment, Mae Jemison’s boundless courage to shatter that glass ceiling.This sentence shows how ese is used to point back to a specific glass ceiling.Tatoeba #5986393 by albrusgher, translation #5215504 by Hybrid
- SolSun
- SerTo be
- SalirTo go out
- SubirTo climb
- SiempreAlways
- CasaHouse
- AsadoBarbecue
- PasarTo pass
- PasearTo stroll
- PescadoFish
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are looking at a gift on a table.
- Lucía¿Quieres ese regalo?Do you want that gift?
- AlejandroSí, quiero ese regalo.Yes, I want that gift.
- LucíaEs un regalo muy bonito para ti.It is a very beautiful gift for you.
- AlejandroGracias, Lucía, me encanta.Thanks, Lucía, I love it.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ese, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
