aquellos
/aˈkeʝos/
The English phrase "those over there" is translated into Spanish as aquellos.
aquellos is used to refer to people or things that are far away from both the speaker and the listener.
What does it mean word for word?
The word aquellos inherently carries the meaning of being at a distance from both the speaker and the listener.
Which one should you use?
Aquellos is used for things much further away, whereas esos or esas refers to things that are closer to the listener.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form changes to aquellas if the objects or people being referred to are feminine. The masculine form aquellos is used for a group of men or a mixed-gender group of people/objects.
How do you pronounce it?
/aˈkeʝos/
Did you know?
- In many parts of Latin America, the distinction between esos and aquellos has faded. Speakers often use esos for both distances, making aquellos sound poetic or overly formal in daily conversation.
- In many Spanish-speaking regions, if you are telling a story about people from the past, you might use aquellos to refer to 'those' people as if they belong to a bygone era. It acts almost like a temporal marker for 'those days of old'.
- When referring to people using aquellos, it can sometimes imply a psychological distance or a lack of emotional connection, rather than just a physical gap.
Examples in context
- Dame esos libros de allíGive me those books over there
- Aquellos coches son muy carosThose cars over there are very expensive
- Esos libros de allí están desordenadosThose books over there are disorganized
- Por favor, trae esos platos de alláPlease bring those plates over there
- Mira aquellos árboles, son hermososLook at those trees over there, they are beautiful
- Aquellos son mis hermanos.Those over there are my brothers.
- ¿Ves aquellos edificios allá?Do you see those buildings over there?
- Aquellos libros están en la estantería alta.Those books over there are on the high shelf.
Example conversation
Elena and Javier are looking at a group of people in a park.
- Elena¿Quiénes son aquellos?Who are those people over there?
- JavierNo lo sé, Elena.I don't know, Elena.
- ElenaParecen turistas.They look like tourists.
- JavierEs muy probable.That is very likely.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry aquellos, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
