ése

See also: Appendix:Variations of "ese"

Spanish

Alternative forms

• ese (The unaccented form can function as a pronoun if it can be unambiguously deduced as such from context.)
• aquese (poetic)

Etymology

Inherited from Latin ipse.

The slang sense to refer to a person is, allegedly from urban legend, from South Mexico and became popular slang in pachuco culture [1940s].

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈese/ [ˈe.se]
• Rhymes: -ese
• Syllabification: é‧se

Pronoun

ése m (demonstrative, feminine ésa, neuter eso, masculine plural ésos, feminine plural ésas)

1. that one (clarification of this definition is needed (explain the difference in meaning in LATAM and Spain if there is one))
2. the former

   (The addition of quotations indicative of this usage is being sought:)

3. (Mexico, Chicano, slang, vocative) dude, guy, pal, man, buddy; (sometimes) asshole

Usage notes

The slang sense can be used in any connotation, from affectionate to neutral or pejorative.

Inflection

		Demonstrative pronouns
		proximal	medial	distal
singular	masculine	éste	ése	aquél
	feminine	ésta	ésa	aquélla
	neuter	esto	eso	aquello
plural	masculine	éstos	ésos	aquéllos
	feminine	éstas	ésas	aquéllas

See also

• aquél
• aquel
• éste
• este

Further reading

• “ése”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025