**Ser and Estar**Description words

Mrs. Martinez

22 de octubre de 2012

Ser and Estar

Pattern:  Ser and Estar both mean “to be,” but they have fundamental differences.

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

The BasicsThe Basics

•Ser is generally used to describe what a noun is (essential characteristics).

• Estar is generally used to describe how a noun is (condition).

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

ExampleExample

• It is useful to have two ways of saying “to be.”  Consider this English sentence:

            The tomato is green.

• This sentence could mean one of two things: – The tomato is of a variety that produces

tomatoes that are green in color. – The tomato is not ripe.

• This situation is avoided in Spanish because if the verb Ser is used, we know that the speaker means that it is a green variety of tomato. 

• On the other hand, if the verb estar is used, we can safely say that the tomato is simply not ripe. 

• Here are the two sentences in Spanish:• El tomate es verde. (The tomato is green in

color.)• El tomate está verde. (The tomato is unripe.)

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

Conjugation

• To further complicate matters, ser and estar are both irregular verbs.

• In the case of ser, you must simply memorize the different forms.  Here are the present tense conjugations of ser:

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

7

yo

tú

él / ella / Ud.

nosotros

vosotros

ellos / ellas / Uds.

SER – “to be”SER – “to be”

soysoy

ereseres

eses

somossomos

soissois

sonson

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

Lets watch a video

SER is used to express:

• characteristics– ¿Cómo son los

autobuses?– Los autobuses son

cómodos.– ¿Cómo es la chica?– La chica es muy

guapa y bastante inteligente.

– Yo soy inteligente.MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

SER is used to express:• time

– ¿Qué hora es?– Son las dos.

• day– ¿Qué día es hoy?– Hoy es lunes.

• date– ¿Cuál es la fecha?– Es el 31 de

diciembre.MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

SER is used to express:• Nationality/origin

– ¿De dónde eres?– Soy de México.– Soy mexicano.

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

SER is used to express:

• Occupation/Religion– ¿Que es Maria?– María es asistente

de vuelo.– Nosotros somos

cristianos.

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

SER is used to express:

• possession– ¿De quién es

la flor?– Es de Juana.

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

SER is used to express:

• Relationships– Jose es el esposo de Teresa.– Ellos son primos de Rebeca.

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

SER is used to express:

• Events– La reunion es en la sala de

conferencias.

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

Las formas del verbo estar (to be)

yo estoy

nosotros estamos nosotras

tú estás

él ella está usted

ellos ellas están ustedes

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

ESTAR • P lace

• L ocation

• A ction

• C ondition

• E motion

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

For how you feel or where you are, always use the verb ESTAR!

ESTAR is used to express:

• Location/Place– ¿Dónde estás?– Estoy en la clase de

español.

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

ESTAR is used to express:

• Action– Ellos están

tocando los instrumentos.

– El está bailando a la musica

ESTAR is used to express:

• Condition– ¿Quién está

ausente?– Patricia está

ausente.– ¿Puedo usar el

teléfono?– No, la línea está

ocupada.

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

ESTAR is used to express:

• Emotion– ¿Cómo estás?– Estoy mal.– Estamos muy

enfermos.

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

Remember

• Note:  The use of ser or estar can change the meaning of a sentence.  Here are some examples:

• Patricia es aburrida.  (Patricia is boring.)

• Patricia está aburrida. (Patricia is bored.)

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

• As you can see, the use of the verb ser implies what they are, and the use of estar implies how they currently are or currently seem.

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

Práctica

• 1. ¿Quién está muy confundida?

a. Yolanda es muy confundida.

b. Yolanda estoy muy confundida.

c. Yolanda esté muy confundida.

d. Yolanda está muy confundida.

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

2. Yo estás feliz.

a. correct

b. incorrect

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

• 3. ________ las dos y veinte.

a. Es

b. Son

c. Está

d. Están

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

4. The clock is on the wall.

a. El reloj estás en la pared.

b. El reloj estuvo en la pared.

c. El reloj es en la pared.

d. El reloj está en la pared

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

• 5. ¿Dónde están las flores?

a. Las flores es sobre la mesa.

b. Las flores están sobre la mesa.

c. Las flores son sobre la mesa.

d. Las flores ser sobre la mesa.

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

abierto

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

agradecido (a)

cerrado

hermoso

clean

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

cómodo

cómico

confundido(a)

chistoso

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

fiel

sucio

tonto

divertido

¿Cómo es?

Es fácil.

Es difícil.

2 + 3 = ?

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

generosoduro

dificil

trabajador

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

honesto

amable

perezoso

viejo

pobre

egoista

tímido (a)suave

especial

estudioso verdadero

sabiojoven

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

Práctica

1. Elías es muy tímido.

a. shy

b. short

c. tall

d. talkative

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

2. Los estudiantes no hicieron la tarea.  Son muy ____________.

a. egoístas

b. jóvenes

c. suaves

d. perezosos

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

3. Miriam fue a visitar una ciudad muy __________.  Las personas no tienen casas.

a. pobre

b. trabajador

c. suave

d. generosa

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

4. Cuando una persona es vieja, se cree que es más ______________.

a. egoísta

b. joven

c. sabia

d. perezosa

MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.

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MLII.INT1 The students understand spoken and written language on new and familiar topics presented through a variety of media in the target language, including authentic materials.