español 2
5 Steps to Understanding Ser vs. EstarBy Quinn Lewis, 18 September 2015
from spanishdict.com Like por and para, ser and estar (perhaps the most infamous Spanish verb pair) both translate to the same English verb: "to be". However, the Spanish verbs are differentiated in the context of their use. Making the distinction between ser and estar will make speaking and writing in Spanish easier than ever. Continue reading to learn the five steps to understanding ser vs. estar. Also, because both of these verbs have irregular conjugations, be sure to check out the SpanishDict verb conjugator to become more comfortable with the use of the verbs in context. 1. Use ser to describe somethingSer is almost always used to refer to permanent characteristics or descriptors. These are the qualities about something or someone that will not change in the near future. A person's height, the color of a flower, or the difficulty of an exam are all examples of "permanent" characteristics. For example: Eduardo es inteligente.* (Kevin is intelligent.) Ella es Maria. (She is Maria.) Todos mis amigos son altos. (All my friends are tall.) Ese edificio es grande. (That building is big.) 2. Use estar to refer to a locationThis step is pretty self explanatory. Whenever talking about the location of a person, a building, a store, an airport, etc., use estar. For example: La tienda está a la derecha del parque. (The store is to the right of the park.) Daniel realmente estaba en el cafe, pero su madre pensó que el estaba en la tienda. (Daniel was really in the café but his mother thought he was in the store.) Mi abuelo nunca quiere salir cuando estamos en la playa. (My grandpa never wants to leave when we are at the beach.) 3. Use ser to explain the origin of a person or an objectThis next rule is also relatively simple. When describing where a person is from or where a thing is made, use ser. For example: Ella es de España. (She is from Spain.) La alfombra que mi madre le encanta es de India. (The rug that my mom loves is from India.) Esas sillas son de madera. (Those seats are made from wood.) 4. Use estar to talk about a current conditionThis is where there is some gray area in the distinction between ser and estar, however, with some examples this rule should be made clear. For the most part, when referring to physical, mental, or emotional states that are impermanent, estar is used in Spanish. For example: Estoy cansado porque yo no podía acostarme hasta medianoche. (I am tired because I couldn't fall asleep until midnight.) Mi profesora está enferma hoy. (My teacher is sick today.) Mi novio está un poco loco. (My boyfriend is acting a little crazy.) 5. Use ser to tell the timeNow to save the easiest rule for last, when talking about time, always use ser! For example: Mañana es lunes. (Tomorrow is Monday.) Son las once en la mañana. (It is eleven in the morning.) Hoy es mi cumpleaños. (Today is my birthday.) __ Of course, these are just some basic tips to help you get a general idea of the different uses of ser and estar. However, if you keep these five rules in mind, you will be on your way to making automatic distinctions between ser and estar.
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