Combining "A" With Demonstratives

As previously mentioned, the preposition ato, at Slow audio Play audio Preposition can be combined with the articles o, a, os, and as to become ao, à, aos, and às.
As far as demonstratives are concerned, a can only form contractions with aquele(s), aquela(s), and aquilo.

A + Variable Demonstratives

• a + aquele = àquele Slow audio Play audio Demonstratives, Contractions, Singular, Masculine
• a + aqueles = àqueles Slow audio Play audio Demonstratives, Contractions, Plural, Masculine
• a + aquela = àquela Slow audio Play audio Demonstratives, Contractions, Singular, Feminine
• a + aquelas = àquelas Slow audio Play audio Demonstratives, Contractions, Plural, Feminine

Ela quer ir a + aquele parque = Ela quer ir àquele parqueShe wants to go to that park Slow audio Play audio

Eles saíram do bar a + aquela hora = Eles saíram do bar àquela horaThey left the bar at that time Slow audio Play audio

Note the direction of the grave accent on the à Slow audio Play audio Preposition, Contractions, Singular, Feminine , which happens as a result of the preposition a Slow audio Play audio Preposition being contracted with a pronoun that starts with the letter “a”, such as aquele, which becomes àquele. Make sure not to confuse à with á.

A + Invariable Demonstratives

A only combines with one invariable demonstrative:

• a + aquilo = àquilo Slow audio Play audio Demonstratives, Contractions, Singular, Masculine

What About the Rest?

If you were paying attention in the Demonstratives unit, you may have noticed that este, esta, esse, essa, isto, and isso are absent. These are never contracted with the preposition a.