aqueles

Aqueles is the masculine plural form of the Portuguese demonstrative pronoun and determiner that means "those." It is used to refer to people or things that are at a distance from both the speaker and the listener, or to indicate a previously mentioned group.

Forms and etymology: The full set includes masculine singular aquele, feminine singular aquela, masculine plural aqueles, and feminine plural aquelas. The term is derived from the Latin demonstrative ille through the development of Portuguese demonstratives, aligning with similar forms in other Romance languages for a distant reference.

Usage and distinction: Aqueles can function as a determiner before a noun, as in aqueles livros (those books). It can also operate as a pronoun replacing a noun, as in aqueles são meus amigos (those are my friends). It is common in relative clauses, as in aqueles que chegaram cedo (those who arrived early). The choice between este/esta (near the speaker), esse/essa (near the listener or at a mid distance), and aquele/aquela (far from both) marks the perceived distance and familiarity of the referent.

Variation and register: In Brazilian Portuguese, aqueles is widely used in formal and informal speech, with similar usage in European Portuguese. Regional and stylistic differences may affect frequency, but the basic function remains the same: to point to a set of entities distinct from the immediate vicinity of speaker and listener.

Examples: Aqueles homens trabalham no festival. (Those men work at the festival.) Não gosto daqueles; prefiro as opções mais novas. (I don’t like those ones; I prefer the newer options.) Aqueles que disseram isso não voltaram. (Those who said that did not return.)