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Grammar Lesson 38:

The Italian demonstrative pronouns: an overview

In Italian the demonstrative pronouns have the same forms as the corresponding adjectives:

- questo (and all its forms) —> to indicate a person / animal / object close to the speaker

- codesto (and all its forms) —> to indicate a person / animal / object close to the listener

- quello (and all its forms) —> to indicate a person / animal / object far from the speaker

and the listener

Examples:

- Non mi piace quel cappello, preferisco questo / I don't like that hat, I prefer this one

- Non mi piace questo cappello, preferisco quello / I don't like this hat, I prefer that one

- Dei due cappelli scelgo codesto / Between these two hats I chose this one

	Singular	Plural	Meaning
Masculine	questo	questi	this one / that one these ones / those ones
	codesto	codesti
	quello	quelli
Feminine	questa	queste
	codesta	codeste
	quella	quelle

There are, though, some additional demonstrative pronouns used only when referring to persons.

They are:

- Colui (and all its forms)

- Costui (and all its forms)

- Questi, quegli (both masculine singular)

- Ciò (masculine singular, used for inanimate objects)

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