esto

pronoun
  1. A Spanish demonstrative pronoun used to refer to a thing or concept that is close to the speaker, equivalent to 'this' in English. It is used when the gender of the noun is unspecified or when referring to an abstract idea or situation. pronoun
    ¿Qué es esto? (What is this?)
    No entiendo esto. (I don't understand this.)
  2. In some contexts, 'esto' can be used colloquially or informally in English-speaking environments, especially among bilingual speakers, to refer to a situation, event, or matter that is currently being discussed or is evident in the context, similar to 'this thing' or 'this matter'. pronoun
    You know how it is with esto. (You know how it is with this.)
    Let's focus on esto for a moment. (Let's focus on this matter for a moment.)