What's the difference between esse/essa and este/esta?

Question

So a boy from Campinas told me that it doesn't really matter which you use. I've seen things like esses dias and este carro, so maybe esse is for "untouchable" things. Like esses sentimentos? I'm probably wrong so could someone explain? Btw it's Portuguese not Spanish (last time I got a whole bunch of answers from spanish speakers lol)

Answer 1

Ok, I ll try to explain, but as that guy told u it doesn’t make much difference to portuguese speaker even cz most of ppl use the both in any sentence without worrying if its grammatically correct or not.
First of all, please, forget this thought about “untouchable things” cz u can also use in Portuguese “estes dias”, “esse carro” and “estes sentimentos”!
There are some points to be shown before we choose what to use:

WHERE (ROOM):
the room where im (o lugar onde estou): este
the room where you are (o lugar onde você está): esse
the distant room of speaker and listener (o lugar distante do falante e do ouvinte): aquele
examples:
1. Veja (aqui) esta borboleta, que linda! = see (here) this buterfly, how beautiful!
2. Que país é este ? perguntam-se os canadenses [referindo-se ao Canadá e no canadá] = what country is this? Canadian ask (refering to canadá and in canada)
3. Traga-me esses livros que estão com você. = bring those books that are with you to me
4. Logo que puder, despacharei os pacotes para essa cidade. = as soon as i can, i’ll send the packages to that city.
Note:
1. este, esta, isto - when the thing you are referring to is close to the person who speaks;
Veja este relógio. (See this watch) - pointing to it on your wrist.
O que é isto? (What's is this?) - showing something close to you.

2. think as in english:
isto/este/esta - this (here)
Isso/ esse/essa That (there)
aquilo/aquele /aquela - That (one) (over there)

TIME
present time: este
past ar close futuro: esse
distant past: aquele
examples:
Marina vai estar na cidade por esses dias... (marina will be in the city these days)
Este ano é 2007, portanto, tempo presente. (this year is 2007, so, present time)
Esses dias são dias de um passado próximo, referindo, portanto, tempo passado próximo. (those days are days from a close past, refering, so, to past time)
Note:
1. este, esta , isto - refer also to a present or future time
Esta noite, vou vê-la. (I'll see her this night)

SPEECH
What will be said: este
Our neighboor always repeats this saying: “bad with him, worse without him” (Nosso vizinho sempre repetindo este provérbio: “ruim com ele, pior sem ele”)
What u Said before: esse

Answer 2

'Esse' (masculine) or 'essa' (feminine) means this or that. We use these words refering to some object near the person who speaks to you, and distant from you. 'Este' (masculine) or 'esta' (feminine) means this. We use them refering to something near you, and far or not from the person who speaks to you. Examples;

Esse carro é seu (sua) = This car belongs to you. You are speaking to someone inside his (her) car, but you are out of it.

Este carro é meu = This car belongs to me (I am speaking near my car)

Answer 3

este/esta, masculine/feminine also this/that, esse/essa

Answer 4

http://www.easyportuguese.com/Portuguese-Lessons/Demonstrative-Pronouns.html
However, it changes with Brazilian Portuguese, which makes no distinction except in writing. http://www.orbilat.com/Languages/Portuguese-Brazilian/Brazilian-Grammar.htm