aquella

Aquella is a feminine singular form of the Spanish demonstrative adjective and pronoun aquel, used to refer to something distant in space or time. It translates roughly to that over there or that one, depending on context. It can modify a noun, as in aquella casa, or function as a demonstrative pronoun, as in Aquella fue la casa de mi abuela.

Forms and usage are governed by standard gender and number concord. The masculine singular is aquel, the feminine singular is aquella, and the plural forms are aquellos (masc) and aquellas (fem). Like other demonstratives, aquella agrees with the noun it accompanies or stands in for, and it helps distinguish distance levels alongside nearer forms such as este/esta (near the speaker) and ese/esa (near the listener).

In modern Spanish, aquella is more common in formal, literary, or descriptive contexts. Colloquial speech often relies on closer demonstratives like ese, esa, or aquel when distance is less marked or the context is clear. When used as a pronoun, aquella can replace a feminine noun phrase in a sentence, emphasizing the distance or the memory of what is being referred to, for example: “Aquella fue una buena decisión” or “¿Qué opinas de aquella?”

Etymology and related forms reflect the broader family of demonstratives in Spanish. Aquella shares its root with other forms based on aquel, while the system contrasts with neuter aquello, used for abstract or unspecified ideas. Together, these forms provide a flexible set of references for indicating distance in both space and time.