esses

The Portuguese word esses is a masculine plural demonstrative determiner and pronoun. In the most fundamental sense, it translates to the English word those. However, Portuguese employs a much more precise spatial logic than English does. While English often relies on a two-way distinction between this (near me) and that (not near me), Portuguese utilizes a three-way system that is deeply rooted in the relationship between the speaker, the listener, and the object being discussed. The word esses specifically refers to objects that are located near the person being spoken to—the listener. Imagine you are sitting across from a friend who has a stack of books on their side of the table. You would refer to those books as esses livros because they are within the listener's immediate physical or psychological space.

Spatial Proximity

The primary function of esses is to point out masculine plural nouns that are close to the person you are talking to, but not necessarily close to you as the speaker.

In modern Brazilian Portuguese, the distinction between estes (near the speaker) and esses (near the listener) has become somewhat blurred in casual conversation. Many Brazilians will use esses to refer to things near themselves as well. However, in European Portuguese and in formal writing across the Lusophone world, the distinction remains vital. Understanding this word is essential for basic navigation, shopping, and social interaction. If you are at a market and the vendor is holding a pair of shoes you like, you would point and say, Eu quero esses sapatos. By using esses, you are linguistically acknowledging that the shoes are in the vendor's possession or immediate vicinity.

Beyond physical space, esses is also used to refer to time and abstract concepts. When discussing a period of time that is relatively close to the present or has just been mentioned by the listener, esses is the appropriate choice. For example, if your friend mentions the challenges of the last few days, you might respond by saying, Esses dias foram difíceis (Those days were difficult). Here, the word acts as a bridge between the listener's previous statement and the speaker's current thought, creating a sense of shared context and conversational flow.

Furthermore, esses is frequently contracted with prepositions. When combined with de (of/from), it becomes desses. When combined with em (in/on/at), it becomes nesses. These contractions are not optional in standard Portuguese; they are the expected grammatical form. For instance, instead of saying de esses, you must say Gosto desses sapatos (I like those shoes). This phonetic blending is a hallmark of the Portuguese language's melodic and fluid nature, and mastering these contractions will make your speech sound significantly more natural and native-like.

Anaphoric Reference

In writing, esses is used to refer back to something that was just mentioned in the text. This helps maintain cohesion without repeating the same nouns over and over again.

To summarize, esses is a versatile tool that helps speakers navigate the physical and conceptual world. Whether you are pointing at a pair of gloves your friend is wearing, referring back to a list of topics discussed in a meeting, or using it in its contracted forms, it serves as a vital indicator of proximity and relationship. By paying attention to where the listener is and what they are holding or talking about, you will quickly learn to use esses with confidence and precision.

Using esses correctly requires an understanding of noun-adjective agreement and prepositional contractions. In Portuguese, every noun has a gender (masculine or feminine) and a number (singular or plural). Because esses is the masculine plural form, it must always accompany a masculine plural noun. If the noun is feminine plural, you must use essas. If it is singular, you use esse or essa. This strict agreement is one of the first hurdles for English speakers, as English demonstratives like those do not change based on gender.

Basic Agreement

The determiner esses precedes the noun it modifies. For example: esses livros (those books), esses meninos (those boys), esses problemas (those problems).

One of the most important aspects of using esses is mastering its contracted forms. In Portuguese, prepositions like de (of/from) and em (in/on) merge with demonstratives to form a single word. This is not a choice but a grammatical requirement. If you want to say 'I am talking about those subjects,' you would say Estou falando desses assuntos. The word desses is the combination of de and esses. Similarly, if you want to say 'I don't believe in those myths,' you would say Eu não acredito nesses mitos, where nesses is the combination of em and esses.

Another common usage pattern involves the placement of esses as a pronoun rather than a determiner. A determiner accompanies a noun (esses livros), while a pronoun stands in for a noun. For example, if someone asks, 'Which shoes do you want?' you might point to the ones near them and simply say, Eu quero esses. In this case, esses acts as the object of the sentence, representing the shoes without needing to repeat the word sapatos. This is a very common way to avoid redundancy in spoken Portuguese.

In terms of sentence structure, esses can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence. As a subject, it might start the sentence: Esses sapatos são caros (Those shoes are expensive). As an object, it follows the verb: Eu comprei esses sapatos (I bought those shoes). When used with prepositions, the contracted form follows the verb's requirements: Eu gosto desses sapatos (I like those shoes—remembering that the verb gostar always requires the preposition de).

Temporal Usage

When referring to time, esses is used for periods near the present. Esses últimos meses foram produtivos (Those last few months were productive).

Finally, it is worth noting that in very formal or literary contexts, the distinction between estes, esses, and aqueles is strictly maintained to provide clarity in complex narratives. If a writer mentions two different groups of men, they might use estes to refer to the group mentioned most recently and esses or aqueles to refer to the group mentioned earlier. While this level of precision is less common in daily speech, understanding it will help you navigate advanced reading materials and academic texts in Portuguese.

You will encounter the word esses in almost every conceivable social situation in the Portuguese-speaking world. Because it is a fundamental building block of the language, its usage spans from the most casual street slang to the most formal legal documents. However, the way it is used can vary significantly depending on the region and the level of formality. In Brazil, for example, esses is the 'workhorse' of demonstratives. While the formal rule states that estes should be used for things near the speaker, most Brazilians naturally default to esses for almost everything that isn't far away. If you are in a Rio de Janeiro cafe, you might hear someone say, Me dá esses pães de queijo, por favor, even if the cheese breads are right in front of them.

In the Marketplace

Shopping is the most common place to hear esses. Customers use it to point out items the salesperson is showing them. Quanto custam esses relógios? (How much are those watches?)

In Portugal, the distinction is much more traditionally preserved. A Portuguese speaker is more likely to use estes for things they are holding and esses for things the other person is holding. This subtle difference is one of the key markers of regional dialects. If you are traveling through Lisbon, paying attention to this can help you sound more like a local. Regardless of the country, however, the contracted forms desses and nesses are ubiquitous. You will hear them in song lyrics, news broadcasts, and family dinners alike. A common expression in Brazil is um desses (one of those), used when someone sees something they desire or something typical of a certain category.

In professional environments, esses is used to refer back to points made by a colleague. During a meeting, a manager might say, Esses pontos que você levantou são cruciais (Those points you raised are crucial). Here, the word acknowledges the listener's contribution and places the 'ownership' of the ideas with the listener, which is a subtle but effective way of showing engagement and respect in a conversation. It creates a linguistic space where the speaker and listener are actively interacting with each other's ideas.

You will also hear esses in the world of media and entertainment. In telenovelas, characters often use it to refer to people or situations with a hint of emotion. For example, Esses homens não prestam! (Those men are no good!) uses the demonstrative to create a psychological distance between the speaker and the subjects being discussed, often implying a negative or judgmental tone. This emotional distancing is a powerful rhetorical use of the word that goes beyond simple physical location.

In Literature and News

Journalists use esses to refer to previously mentioned events or groups. Esses manifestantes pedem mudanças (Those protesters are asking for changes).

Finally, the word appears in many idiomatic expressions and common collocations. Phrases like esses dias (lately/these days) or um desses (one of those) are part of the daily rhythm of the language. Whether you are reading a menu, listening to a podcast, or chatting with a neighbor, esses will be there, acting as a constant guide to the spatial and relational context of the conversation. It is a small word that carries the heavy weight of Portuguese grammar and social logic on its shoulders.

For English speakers, the most frequent mistake when using esses is failing to maintain gender and number agreement. In English, the word those is universal; it doesn't matter if you are talking about 'those books' (masculine) or 'those tables' (feminine). In Portuguese, however, using esses with a feminine noun like mesas is a glaring error. You must use essas mesas. Beginners often default to the masculine form for everything, which can make their speech sound unpolished and sometimes lead to confusion in more complex sentences.

Agreement Error

Incorrect: Esses canetas são azuis. (Pens are feminine). Correct: Essas canetas são azuis.

Another significant challenge is the 'Three-Distance System.' English speakers often struggle to distinguish between estes (near me), esses (near you), and aqueles (far from both). A common mistake is using esses when the objects are actually far away from both the speaker and the listener. In that case, aqueles is the correct choice. For example, if you are pointing at mountains in the distance, you should say aquelas montanhas, not essas montanhas. Using esses in this context would imply that the listener is somehow standing right next to the mountains.

The omission of contractions is another hallmark of a learner's speech. English speakers tend to keep prepositions and demonstratives separate because that is how it works in English. Saying de esses or em esses is grammatically incorrect and sounds very stilted. You must train your brain to automatically combine them into desses and nesses. This requires practice, especially with verbs that 'trigger' certain prepositions, like gostar de, precisar de, or acreditar em. If you don't use the contraction, the sentence will feel 'broken' to a native speaker's ears.

In Brazil, there is a specific 'mistake' that is actually a common regional variation: using esses instead of estes. While this is acceptable in casual conversation, it can be considered a mistake in formal writing or in a Portuguese exam. If you are writing an essay or a business letter, you should be careful to use estes for things you have just mentioned or things near you, and esses for things mentioned by the person you are writing to. Mixing these up in a formal context can make your writing seem less professional.

Pronunciation Error

Learners sometimes pronounce the 'e' in esses as an open 'é' (like in 'pet'). It should be a closed 'ê' (like the 'a' in 'gate' but without the 'y' sound at the end).

Lastly, be careful with the word esse vs. este in time references. Using esses for the future is generally incorrect; it is almost always used for the past or the immediate present context. For example, esses dias que passaram (those days that passed) is correct, but for 'these coming days,' you would typically use estes próximos dias. Understanding these subtle temporal and spatial boundaries will help you avoid the most common pitfalls and speak Portuguese with greater accuracy and nuance.

To truly master esses, you must understand its place within the wider family of Portuguese demonstratives. The most immediate relatives are estes and aqueles. While they all translate to 'these' or 'those' in English, their usage is strictly governed by distance. Estes is for things near the speaker (1st person), esses is for things near the listener (2nd person), and aqueles is for things far from both (3rd person). Think of it as a hierarchy of proximity: Here, There, and Over There.

Comparison: Estes vs. Esses vs. Aqueles

• Estes: These (right here with me).
• Esses: Those (right there with you).
• Aqueles: Those (way over there, away from us).

Another set of similar words are the feminine counterparts: estas, essas, and aquelas. These function exactly like their masculine versions but are used exclusively with feminine nouns. For example, while you say esses sapatos (masculine), you must say essas meias (feminine). There are also neutral forms: isto, isso, and aquilo. These are used when you don't know the name of the object or when referring to an abstract idea. You would never say esses for an unknown object; you would point and ask, O que é isso? (What is that?).

In terms of alternatives, sometimes speakers use the definite article os as a demonstrative, especially in formal or literary contexts. For example, instead of esses que estão na mesa, one might say os que estão na mesa (the ones that are on the table). This is a more concise way of referring to a specific group. Additionally, the word tais (such) can sometimes act as a substitute when referring to a specific type of thing previously mentioned. Tais problemas são comuns (Such problems are common) functions similarly to Esses problemas são comuns, but with a slightly different emphasis on the nature of the problems rather than their location.

In very informal Brazilian Portuguese, you might also hear aqueles lá or esses aí. The addition of the adverbs lá (there) and aí (there, near you) reinforces the demonstrative's meaning. Esses sapatos aí is a very common way to say 'those shoes right there by you.' This redundancy is common in spoken language to ensure there is no ambiguity about which objects are being discussed. It adds a layer of spatial clarity that the demonstrative alone sometimes lacks in rapid conversation.

Contraction Comparison

• Desses: Of those (de + esses).
• Destes: Of these (de + estes).
• Daquele: Of those over there (de + aquele).

Finally, understanding the difference between esses and the personal pronoun eles (they) is crucial. While esses points to specific objects, eles is a general subject pronoun. You would use esses to identify which books you are talking about, but you would use eles to say what the books are doing or where they are once they have already been identified. Mastering this web of related words will give you a comprehensive toolkit for describing the world around you in Portuguese.