Demonstrative pronouns: what they are, what they are and examples in sentences

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Demonstrative pronouns are those that situate something in space and time in relation to the people of the speech.

They have the ability to show an object or person without naming him. They may vary in person, gender and number. Are they: This one(s), that(s), that one(s); that(s), it is(s), that one(s); this, that It is that one.

Examples:

"This one report presents essential data." (The report is close to the speaker.)
"Have you analyzed that proposal?" (the proposal is close to the listener)
"That It doesn't smell good to me." (what doesn't smell good is close to whoever hears it)
"This It's gold here!" (what is worth gold is close to the speaker)
"It is It's the rainy season." (epoch is in the present period)
"Those works of art are of great value." (the works are distant from both the speaker and the listener)
"That one It couldn't be real." (what could not be real is distant from the speaker and the listener)

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People of the Speech	Demonstrative pronouns
Variables	Invariables
1st person (close to the speaker)	this, this, these, these	this
2nd person (close to the interlocutor)	this, this, these, these	that
3rd person (far from the enunciator and the interlocutor)	that, that, those, those	that one

Types of demonstrative pronouns (classification)

They exist two types of demonstrative pronouns: variables It is invariable.

Variable demonstrative pronouns

Variable demonstrative pronouns, as the name already indicates, vary in gender (male/female) and number (singular plural). Are they: This one(s), that(s), that one(s); that(s), it is(s), that one(s).

Examples:

"This one car is modern."
"That book is interesting."
"That one movie was exciting."
"These documents are important."
"That idea is brilliant."
"Those songs are classics."

Invariable demonstrative pronouns

Invariable demonstrative pronouns maintain the same form, without specifying gender or number. Are they: this, that It is that one.

Examples:

"This It's a mystery."
"That It happened quickly.”
"That one it was unforgettable."

Use of demonstrative pronouns

Time

Demonstrative pronouns, in addition to placing something in space, can also place it in time. They thus indicate a period of the present, past and near future or remote past.

Gift (1st person): "This one Summer is passing quickly."
Near past (2nd person): "Isso It was a celebration!”
Near future (2nd person): "That Christmas will be cold."
remote past (3rd person): "That one It was a good time!"

Adjectives and nouns

To the variable shapes These pronouns can have the value of substantive or adjective in a sentence.

Examples:

Substantive: "This one book is mine."
Adjective: "My book is This one."

To the invariable forms, however, always have value substantive.

Example:

"That one made me feel bad."
"This it's understandable."

Combinations with prepositions

Demonstrative pronouns can be combined with prepositions in,in It is The, taking on new forms:

IN: this, this, these, these, this, this, these, these, that, that, those, those, this, this, that.
IN: in this, this, these, these, this, this, these, these, that, that, those, those, this, this, that.
A: that, that, that.

Demonstrative value

Some words can take on demonstrative values. Are they: O, The, you, to the, same, same, own, own, similar It is such.

Examples:

The, the, the, the: "Where are you that they laugh at me?" (the = those)
Same, same: "They both told same thing." (same = this)
Own, own: "It was the own director who spoke." (own = that)
Similar: "I didn't count on similar reaction." (similar = that)
Such: "Such was my answer: I wasn't there that day." (such = this)

Bibliography:

BECHARA, Evanildo. School Grammar of the Portuguese Language. Rio de Janeiro: Lucerna, 2009.
CUNHA, Celso; CINTRA, Lindley. New grammar of contemporary Portuguese. Lisbon: Edições João Sá da Costa, 2015.

See too: