When you travel in Italy, you point, compare, choose, and clarify all day long: this coffee, that train, these shoes, those tickets. That is why demonstratives in Italian are not just a grammar topic. They are survival language.
In Italian, demonstratives help you show whether something is close to you, close to the person you are speaking to, or farther away. The two main words you need are questo and quello.
Think of them like this:
questo = this / these
quello = that / those
But Italian changes these words depending on gender, number, and sometimes the noun that follows. That is where many learners get confused, especially with questo vs. quello.
Why Demonstratives Matter in Real Life
You Use Them Constantly When Traveling
Imagine you are at a bakery in Rome. You see three pastries behind the glass. You do not know their names, but you can still say:
Vorrei questo, per favore.
I would like this one, please.
Or at a train station:
È quello il treno per Firenze?
Is that the train to Florence?
These small words make you sound more natural and help you communicate even when your vocabulary is limited.
Demonstratives Help You Point Without Being Rude
Italian is a highly contextual language. In shops, restaurants, markets, museums, and stations, you often need to identify something quickly. Demonstratives let you do that politely.
Instead of saying only:
Quello!
That one!
You can soften it:
Vorrei quello, per favore.
I would like that one, please.
This is more natural and more polite.
The Basics: Questo and Quello
Questo = This / These
Use questo for something close to you.
| Italian | English | Use |
| questo | this | masculine singular |
| questa | this | feminine singular |
| questi | these | masculine plural |
| queste | these | feminine plural |
Examples:
questo libro
this book
questa borsa
this bag
questi biglietti
these tickets
queste chiavi
these keys
Quello = That / Those
Use quello for something farther away from you.
Quello is a little trickier because it changes like the definite article. This is why understanding Italian articles helps a lot.
| Italian | English | Example |
| quel | that | quel libro — that book |
| quello | that | quello zaino — that backpack |
| quell’ | that | quell’hotel — that hotel |
| quella | that | quella strada — that street |
| quei | those | quei libri — those books |
| quegli | those | quegli zaini — those backpacks |
| quelle | those | quelle borse — those bags |
Demonstrative Adjectives vs Demonstrative Pronouns
What Are Demonstrative Adjectives?
Demonstrative adjectives come before a noun. They describe which thing you are talking about.
Examples:
questo caffè
this coffee
quella macchina
that car
questi documenti
these documents
quelle scarpe
those shoes
In English, “this,” “that,” “these,” and “those” can work the same way.
What Are Demonstrative Pronouns?
Italian demonstrative pronouns replace the noun. You use them when the noun is already understood.
Examples:
Vorrei questo.
I would like this one.
Preferisco quella.
I prefer that one.
Questi sono miei.
These are mine.
Quelle sono più economiche.
Those are cheaper.
The forms often look similar to the adjective forms, but the function is different. The adjective goes with a noun. The pronoun replaces the noun.
Questo vs Quello: The Practical Difference
Questo
Use questo when the thing is close to you physically, emotionally, or conversationally.
Examples:
Questo posto è bellissimo.
This place is beautiful.
Questa pizza è buonissima.
This pizza is delicious.
Questi sono i miei bagagli.
These are my bags.
Quello
Use quello when the thing is farther from you or already separate from the current focus.
Examples:
Quello è il mio hotel.
That is my hotel.
Quella chiesa è famosa.
That church is famous.
Quei ragazzi parlano inglese.
Those guys speak English.
A Simple Memory Trick
When thinking about questo or quello Italian, remember:
questo = near me
quello = not near me
That simple rule will work in most travel situations.
Italian Communication Traditions: Pointing, Choosing, and Clarifying
In Cafés and Bakeries
In Italian cafés, you may order at the counter while pointing to pastries, sandwiches, or drinks. Demonstratives are extremely useful here.
You can say:
Prendo questo.
I’ll take this one.
Vorrei quella brioche.
I’d like that croissant.
At Markets
Markets are full of real-life demonstrative practice. You may not know the name of every fruit, cheese, or souvenir, but you can still communicate.
Quanto costano questi?
How much do these cost?
Mi dà quelle, per favore?
Can you give me those, please?
In Museums and Churches
When visiting cultural sites, you may hear or use phrases like:
Questo quadro è famoso.
This painting is famous.
Quella statua è antica.
That statue is ancient.
Demonstratives help you talk about what you are seeing in the moment.
What Travelers Should Expect
Italians Often Use Context Instead of Full Explanations
In Italy, people may point, gesture, or use short phrases like:
Questo?
This one?
Quello?
That one?
This is normal in casual communication. You do not always need a full sentence.
Shopkeepers May Ask You to Clarify
A shopkeeper might ask:
Questo o quello?
This one or that one?
Or:
Quale preferisce? Questo?
Which one do you prefer? This one?
Being comfortable with how to use questo and quello will make everyday interactions much easier.
Forms Matter, But Communication Matters More
Yes, grammar matters. But as a traveler, your first goal is to be understood. Even if your ending is not perfect, context usually helps. Over time, you can improve accuracy by noticing patterns.
Essential Vocabulary for Demonstratives in Italian
Here are useful words and phrases you can use immediately:
- questo — this / this one
- questa — this / this one, feminine
- questi — these / these ones, masculine
- queste — these / these ones, feminine
- quello — that / that one
- quella — that / that one, feminine
- quei — those, masculine before many consonants
- quegli — those, masculine before vowels, z, or s+consonant
- quelle — those, feminine
- lì / là — there / over there
Useful Phrases You Can Use in Italy
1. Vorrei questo, per favore.
I would like this one, please.
Use this in cafés, bakeries, gelato shops, and markets.
2. Quanto costa quello?
How much does that one cost?
Use this when pointing at something farther away.
3. Preferisco questa.
I prefer this one.
Useful when choosing clothes, food, seats, or souvenirs.
4. Questi sono i miei biglietti.
These are my tickets.
Useful at train stations, museums, events, and airports.
5. Quelle sono le mie valigie.
Those are my suitcases.
Useful when identifying luggage, bags, or belongings.
Common Mistakes Learners Make
Mistake 1: Using Questo for Everything
Many beginners use questo for both “this” and “that.” Italians will usually understand you, but your speech will sound more natural if you use quello for things farther away.
Better:
Questo caffè è mio.
This coffee is mine.
Quello zaino è tuo?
Is that backpack yours?
Mistake 2: Forgetting Gender and Number
Italian nouns are masculine or feminine, singular or plural. Demonstratives must match.
Correct examples:
questa camera
this room
queste camere
these rooms
quel treno
that train
quei treni
those trains
Mistake 3: Treating Quello Like Questo
Questo changes mainly by gender and number.
But quello follows patterns similar to definite articles:
quel ristorante
that restaurant
quello studente
that student
quell’albergo
that hotel
quegli studenti
those students
This is why the Italian grammar point of questo and quello often feels challenging at first.
Quick Grammar Guide: Demonstrative Adjectives
Before Masculine Singular Nouns
Use:
questo before masculine singular nouns:
questo museo
this museum
For “that,” use different forms depending on the noun:
quel museo
that museum
quello studente
that student
quell’hotel
that hotel
Before Feminine Singular Nouns
Use:
questa
this
quella
that
Examples:
questa strada
this street
quella piazza
that square
Before a vowel, you may see:
quest’amica
this friend
quell’isola
that island
Before Plural Nouns
Use:
questi for masculine plural:
questi ristoranti
these restaurants
queste for feminine plural:
queste stazioni
these stations
For “those,” use:
quei ristoranti
those restaurants
quegli studenti
those students
quelle stazioni
those stations
Quick Grammar Guide: Demonstrative Pronouns
Replacing a Noun
Instead of repeating the noun, use a pronoun.
Full version:
Vorrei questo gelato.
I would like this gelato.
Shorter version:
Vorrei questo.
I would like this one.
Full version:
Preferisco quella borsa.
I prefer that bag.
Shorter version:
Preferisco quella.
I prefer that one.
Useful Travel Examples
Quale vuoi? Questo o quello?
Which one do you want? This one or that one?
Prendo questi.
I’ll take these.
Non quelli, ma questi.
Not those, these.
Mi piace quella.
I like that one.
Mini Practice for Travelers
At a Gelato Shop
You want the flavor close to you:
Vorrei questo.
I’d like this one.
You want the flavor farther away:
Vorrei quello.
I’d like that one.
At a Clothing Store
You like a shirt near you:
Mi piace questa.
I like this one.
You like shoes farther away:
Mi piacciono quelle.
I like those.
At the Train Station
You are holding your tickets:
Questi sono i miei biglietti.
These are my tickets.
You point to a platform:
È quello il binario?
Is that the platform?
Final Takeaway
The heart of Italian demonstrative adjectives and Italian demonstrative pronouns is simple: use questo for things near you and quello for things farther away. The challenge is choosing the right ending, especially with quello, because it behaves a lot like Italian definite articles.
To keep building practical Italian for real conversations, continue learning with ItalianPod101.com, where you can practice everyday vocabulary, pronunciation, listening, and grammar in context.
