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Este lapicero escribe muy bien.

Este lapicero escribe muy bien.
This pen writes very well.
FromLesson 32inHardcore Spanish (Latin America)

Breakdown of Este lapicero escribe muy bien.

este
this
muy
very
bien
well
escribir
to write
el lapicero
the pen

Questions & Answers about Este lapicero escribe muy bien.

Why do we use este instead of ese or aquel?

este is the demonstrative adjective for this, used when the object (here, the pen) is close to the speaker.

  • ese would be “that” for something near the listener.
  • aquel would be “that over there” for something distant from both speaker and listener.
Why doesn’t este carry an accent (éste)?
Modern Spanish no longer places an accent on demonstrative adjectives like este, ese, aquel. Accents are only used if omission would create ambiguity between a demonstrative pronoun and another word—which rarely happens.
What exactly is a lapicero? Is it a pen or a pencil?

In most of Latin America, lapicero means a ballpoint pen (a writing instrument that uses ink). It can sometimes be used for mechanical pencils, but more precisely:

  • pen = lapicero or bolígrafo
  • pencil = lápiz
  • mechanical pencil = portaminas
Can I use bolígrafo or pluma instead of lapicero?

Yes. In different regions you’ll hear:

  • bolígrafo (literally “ballpoint”)
  • pluma (literally “feather,” but widely used for fountain pens)
    The meaning stays the same: “this pen writes very well.”
Why is there no subject pronoun like él before escribe?
Spanish often drops subject pronouns because the verb ending already indicates person and number. Escribe ends in –e, so we know it’s third person singular (it writes or he/she writes). Adding él is possible for emphasis (Él escribe muy bien), but not required.
Why is the verb escribe in the simple present instead of the present progressive (está escribiendo)?
The simple present (escribe) expresses a general quality or habitual action (“it writes well”). The present progressive (está escribiendo) would mean “it is writing right now,” focusing on an ongoing action, which doesn’t make sense for a pen describing its performance in general.
Why do we say muy bien instead of just bien or muy buen?
  • bien is an adverb meaning “well.” You could say Este lapicero escribe bien, which is correct but less emphatic.
  • muy bien intensifies that quality: “very well.”
  • buen is an adjective (as in muy buen lapicero – “very good pen”) and can’t modify the verb escribe.
Could I say El lapicero escribe muy bien or Mi lapicero escribe muy bien? How does este change the meaning?

Yes:

  • El lapicero escribe muy bien = “The pen writes very well” (speaking about the pen in general).
  • Mi lapicero escribe muy bien = “My pen writes very well” (focus on ownership).
  • Este lapicero escribe muy bien = “This pen (here) writes very well,” emphasizing proximity or the specific pen you’re holding.
How do you pronounce lapicero and escribe? Where is the stress?

Spanish words ending in a vowel are stressed on the penultimate (next-to-last) syllable.

  • lapicero = la-pi-ˈce-ro (stress on ce)
  • escribe = es-ˈcri-be (stress on cri)
    In Latin America you’ll hear [la.pi.ˈse.ɾo] and [es.ˈkɾi.be].
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