Ser y Estar

ricktoronto · Apr 22, 2005

A tip: P.L.A.C.E. for Estar:

Position: expresses the physical position of posture of a person or thing:
estar sentado estar levantado estar acostado

Location: expresses where places, people, or things are located:
estoy en Nueva York El libro est? en la mesa

Action: expresses the result of an action or the progressive
el hombre est? muerto estoy comiendo ahora

Condition: expresses health and other changeable states
estar enfermo estar sucio estar lleno

Emotion: expresses emotions such as
estar contento estar triste estar deprimido

heldengebroed · Apr 24, 2005

Always have been tought that:

You use estar when you have something that can change (where you are, emotions,...

and ser for something that is definitife like your nationality

exception death

it isn't "es meurto" but "esta muerto"

Son loco los gentes que hablan espa?ol

mofi · Apr 24, 2005

Your example about death is because of their beliefs. Most believe that after death one goes to heaven ect, so infact they are just in another life and not really gone at all, that is why the say esta muerta instead of es muerta.

juancarlos · Apr 24, 2005

mofi said:
Your example about death is because of their beliefs. Most believe that after death one goes to heaven ect, so infact they are just in another life and not really gone at all, that is why the say esta muerta instead of es muerta.

Hey, I had never thought about it, but I think you are right! Most people do believe that death is a transition and that the non material component, consciousnes, the soul etc. goes into another dimension. Not necessarily "heaven", but that they are "there" somewhere or on the other side. I think that is a universal belief not limited to Spanish speakers, obviously, but it is a good theory. There are things or concepts behind the way one speaks that one is not always aware of.

xamaicano · Apr 25, 2005

heldengebroed said:
Always have been tought that:

You use estar when you have something that can change (where you are, emotions,...

and ser for something that is definitife like your nationality

exception death

it isn't "es meurto" but "esta muerto"

Son loco los gentes que hablan espa?ol

The reason this is problematic is because the transitory (estar) vs permanent (ser) explanation is an incomplete one when explaining the difference between the two verbs. For a some people there profession is transitory that changes during the course of their lives but we always use ser when talking about profession. Years ago I was a student (era estudiante), now I am not (soy ingeniero). I think best explanation I've gotten is that one deals with whatness (ser) and the other howness (estar). ?l es muerto (what is he? a dead person) que est? muerto (how is he? he is dead).

Chirimoya · Apr 25, 2005

I am Ok with 'ser' and 'estar' until I have to speak about something in the past. Fue/era? Which one is 'used to be' and 'was'?

Marianopolita · Apr 25, 2005

Chiri,

If I said to you:

1. As? era

2. As? fue

How would you translate that in English?

The best way I can explain this in brief is:

"era"- is used to describe repeated actions or continuous concepts in the past. Also used for general "decriptions" in the past.

"fue"- s?lo en alg?n momento dado. Usually there is a specific reference to time such as "ayer", "la semana pasada", "anoche" etc.

LDG.

Chirimoya said:
I am Ok with 'ser' and 'estar' until I have to speak about something in the past. Fue/era? Which one is 'used to be' and 'was'?

Rick Snyder · Aug 24, 2005

Sorry but I still don't understand

I need help in the use of the past tense for (was) and (were) i.e.:

1. I was there yesterday.
2. He was president in 1996.
3. We were waiting for you.
4. They were in Spain.
5. Were you at the party?

My understanding is that the past tense of estar and/or ser is fui, fuiste etc. but at the same time I hear estaba etc., AND I'M SO CONFUSED!

Also what is the proper translation of (sin embargo)?

Thanks.

pkaide1 · Aug 24, 2005

You have to understand that "Ser" y "Estar" in spanish are two completelly different verbs. In english we use "to be" to describe both, but in Spanish is a whole different history.

pkaide1 · Aug 24, 2005

I will say that a proper translation for "sin embargo" would be "even though"

xamaicano · Aug 24, 2005

1. I was there yesterday.
Estuve all? ayer.
2. He was president in 1996.
?l fue Presidente en 1996.
3. We were waiting for you.
Te est?bamos esperando.
4. They were in Spain.
Ellos estaban en Espa?a.
5. Were you at the party?
?Estabas en la fiesta?

Also what is the proper translation of (sin embargo)?
However or nevertheless.

Rick Snyder · Aug 24, 2005

I'm still so confused.?

Thank you Lesley D for the translations but I'm still where I was. It is possible to explain in layman terms what constitutes using fue and estuve and or some examples? Thank you. :nervous: :nervous: :nervous:

ricktoronto · Aug 24, 2005

Rick Snyder said:
Thank you Lesley D for the translations but I'm still where I was. It is possible to explain in layman terms what constitutes using fue and estuve and or some examples? Thank you. :nervous: :nervous: :nervous:

Fue is the perfect past of ser and estuve - perfect or estabas - imperfect tenses for estar so the same normal conditions of ser and estar apply to past tense. And future, and subjunctive.

Ser (fue) is about an occupation so it is not estar. The rest are about location (the party, Spain, waiting someplace, and "there" ) - all estar.

Present tense : soy Presidente (ser) I am president
Present tense: estoy en Espana (estar) I am in Spain

AnnaC · Aug 24, 2005

Hope this helps

Rules For Using SER and ESTAR

SER
profession
physical characteristics
origin
nationality
gender

*Location*
Even though you may think of location as permanent, the verb ESTAR is used with location.

Estar

emotion
feelings
location_*
temporary condition

And if that doesn't help have a look at this.

Ser Y Estar

Rick Snyder · Aug 24, 2005

I feel better

Thank you ricktoronto for the explanation. Now to apply it to learn how and when to use which. Some examples sure would have been great but who am I to complain?

AnnaC · Aug 24, 2005

Have a look at the site I posted above. It has samples

Rick Snyder · Aug 24, 2005

Thank you Anna

I was sending my post to ricktoronto at the same time that your post arrived. Sorry. I will use your link.

xamaicano · Aug 24, 2005

Rick Snyder said:
Thank you ricktoronto for the explanation. Now to apply it to learn how and when to use which. Some examples sure would have been great but who am I to complain?

Here is an inexpensive little book that can help:

Spanish Verbs: Ser and Estar : Key to Mastering the Language (Hippocrene Language Studies) (Paperback)
by J. Serrano, S. Serrano

ricktoronto · Aug 24, 2005

Rick Snyder said:
Thank you ricktoronto for the explanation. Now to apply it to learn how and when to use which. Some examples sure would have been great but who am I to complain?

I think Anna's list is adequate without examples, really. Think generally permanent things = ser, temporary = estar.

Never tell a girl: estas bonita (estar form), vs. eres bonita (ser form). Think about why. Bonita is "pretty"

Rick Snyder · Aug 24, 2005

Misunderstanding I think

Sorry ricktoronto but I have the present tense of ser and estar down. The problem is the past tense. In my old age my mind doesn't work like it used to, if it ever did, and I'm having trouble with fui and estaba. With examples my mind has a better chance of absorbing the information and I have yet to find examples and therefore have asked this board if they could in fact give some examples with the different personel pronouns using the words fui for ser and estaba for estar. :nervous:

Ser y Estar

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