"Isto" and "isso" are remaining forms from latin and there is no gender for them. They are used in sentences where gender is not specified, but the notion is of a situation or samething that gathers a total comprehension by the listener. For example, let's say you are fed up with "something" that is happening to you and you say: "Isso/Isto está me deixando muito chateado!". In this sentence, "isso" means the situation as a whole and there is no gender at all for that. In spoken language, "isso" is easily pronounced than "isto", so its usage is much larger than the second form.

esse-->male person or masculine object,near to the person that is spoken to and far from the person who is speaking essa-->female person of feminine object,near to the person that is spoken to and far from the person who is speaking isso-->to point an object next to the person that is spoken to and far from the person who is speaking este-->male person or masculine object next to you and far from the person u are speaking to esta-->female person of feminine object next to you and far from the person u are speaking to isto--->to point an object next to you and far from the person u are speaking to

Vou tentar resumir: Este, esta, isto - Referem-se a quem fala - 1ª pessoa do discurso; (eu) Esse, essa, isso - Com quem se fala - 2ª pessoa do discurso;(tu) "esse" é pronome, demostrativo, masculino na 2º pessoa. "essa" é pronome, demostrativo, feminino na 2º pessoa. "isso" é pronome,demostrativo, 2º pessoa. "este" é pronome demostrativo, masculino na 1º pessoa. "isto" é pronome demostrativo, 1º pessoa. Exemplo: - Se esta explicação te agradou este professor ficará feliz. - Essa pergunta que fizeste mereceu uma resposta. - Essa cidade onde você reside será melhor que esta onde eu resido?

esse/essa - refer the object when is far you (apointed the finger to object) este/esta - refer the objetct when is near you (you see th object)