I need to know what the 3 meanings of ser and estar are. Like one for ser is like description or somthing. please help!
2006-10-11 11:54:49 · 11 answers · asked by teh_preacher 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
In Spanish, there are two verbs that can be translated as "to be." These two verbs are ser and estar.
2006-10-11 11:58:28 · answer #1 · answered by MiLuv 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mostly good answers. Maybe a little more on how the two are used in what looks like the same sentence.
El es enfermo = He is sick. But he's probably not going to get better. Using ser means a permanent condition.
In contrast:
El esta enfermo = He is sick. But he's expected to get better. Using estar means it's temporary.
Ella es muy blanca = She is very pale (Lit: She is very white). This means she has a very light complection - a permanent condition, calling for ser.
In contrast:
Ella esta muy blanca = She's pale as a ghost. (Again lit: She is very white) She's sick or something scared her, but use of estar tells you she will get back to normal soon.
Proper use of ser and estar is a little tough to get early on, but once you've understood it, it is simple. This is a place where Spanish has nuances you don't have in English.
As for the three meanings, I'm not sure what is meant. Sounds like a teaching aid that a teacher or textbook author came up with to get a point across. The real basis is the permanent/temporary difference.
2006-10-11 20:15:32 · answer #2 · answered by dollhaus 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In English they all would be the ver "To be".
There are actually different specific uses for Ser and Estar.
Some of the are:
ESTAR
Mood: Estoy cansado. Ella está enojada. (I'm tired. She's angry.)
Condition, status: Ellas está embarazada. El está casado. (She's pregnant. He's maried.)
Location: El está en Perú. Nosotros estamos en el restaurante. ( He is in Peru. We are at the restaurant.)
Weather: Está lloviendo. Está nublado. (It's raining. It's cloudy.)
SER
Nationality, background: Ella es Europea. Nosotros somos Brasileños. (She is European. We are Brazilian.)
Material: La casa es de madera. La puerta es de metal. (The house is made of wood. The door is made of metal.)
To describe something or someone: El es inteligente. Vosotros sois entretenidos. (He is intelligent. You(plural) are funny.)
Many other situations that are not specified here can actually use SER or ESTAR depending on the person who is talking.
2006-10-11 19:30:02 · answer #3 · answered by Sergio__ 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have alot of problems with these things like estoy and soy as to when to use it so I need to review myself I understand when people say it to me but am not sure when to use quite a few as they are very similar. The language has a different set up than ours but obviously at one point they were related or interacted because No is no in Spanish and a balerina dances which is bailar in Spanish. So let me go review and then I will see what I recall to help you.
There are a great many good lessons online for learning Spanish this is just one. I believe I used this one in college they also sell some programs for study here.
Ser and Estar: Part I
Whole books have been written about the two important Spanish verbs: ser and estar.
Ser and estar can both be translated as "to be." Here is the English verb, fully conjugated:
to be
I am
you are
he/she is
we are
you-all are
they are
In Spanish, a different verb is used to express "to be" depending on whether the speaker intends to address a condition or an essential quality.
La manzana está verde.
The apple is green. (condition)
La manzana es verde.
The apple is green. (essence)
Note how the adjective "verde" actually changes meaning, depending upon whether it is used with ser or estar.
La manzana está verde.
(condition: verde = unripe)
La manzana es verde.
(essential characteristic: verde = color green)
To address condition, use estar. Estar is an irregular verb. It does not follow the standard rules of conjugation for regular -ar verbs. Therefore, you must memorize it.
estar
estoy
estás
está
estamos
estáis
están
To address an essential quality, use ser. Ser is also irregular and must be memorized.
ser
soy
eres
es
somos
sois
son
I think when one says I am sick it is Yo estoy enfermo (male with the o ending female with the a ending). More than one Nosotros estamos enfermos.
This is a condition so estar is used.
Your health condition can change so estar is used. I know Spanish speaking people who have problems with this and then try to correct me when they are wrong so it can be confusing.
Ser is for descriptions from what I can figure out.
The shirt is red which does not change it remains red as a description so one says:
La camisa es rojo. Because it is one shirt. When doing purals have it all agree to a plural.
Las camisas son rojos.
Ser is to be as is Estar but ser is for descriptions and estar is for conditions.
I get it mixed up still but people understand me for the most part even if they make faces like my Spanish grammar bothers them when I speak with them.
Need to be careful with this because often it changes also to past future or present tense such that the words may be completely different than those shown here.
The eyes of the cat are green.
Los ojos de el gato son verde.
The cats eyes will remain green in color
The eyes of the cat are green.
Los ojos de el gato son verde.
The cats eyes will remain green in color.
Now the season of the year is summer.
Ahora l tiempo del ano esta verano.
The season of the year will change.
Ducharse for shower is not used by many south of the border of the USA who is not well educated it is a more (European - Spain) Spanish word.
And vosotros is not used by anyone I know from south of the border.
They say these are ugly words. The Spanish you are learning is good Spanish and if you learn it well you can communicate with most people who speak Spanish and those who use it as an intermediary language such as the Portugese and Rain Forest Indians I have spoken with. They often do not know the parts of speach that well either so speak clearly, slowly and be ready to repeat or look for other words to substitute.
2006-10-11 18:58:03 · answer #4 · answered by Faerieeeiren 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Ser= "to be", in a permanent way. If you say, "I am (originally) from Nevada", you say "Soy (from "ser") de Nevada". If you say "Ice IS cold", you say "Hielo es (from "ser") frio".
Estar="to be", but is more changeable. "I am (currently) living in Nevada" is "Estoy (from "estar") viviendo en Nevada". "the water is cold today"= el agua esta frio hoy.
Not sure what you mean by the "3 meanings". Ser is often used to indicate origin or quality:
Es de (is from, is of)
Es _______ (is _____)(cold, North American, valuable, etc)
etc.
Hope this helps.
2006-10-11 19:04:53 · answer #5 · answered by Hauntedfox 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ser-- essence...things that are unchangealbe...like eye color
Estar---condition...things that can change...like time.
Not sure what the 3rd is.
Check out the following website. The first one will be particularly helpful I think.
2006-10-11 19:06:11 · answer #6 · answered by CloudRider9 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
To Mrs Mills : El perro es mio
2006-10-11 21:03:01 · answer #7 · answered by Marcelo c 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
OK - I 'm on this.
Ser - to be (permanent)
Identity - soy Dorothy
Possesion - El perro es de yo
Origen - Mis amigos son de Madrid
Estar - to be (temporary)
Temporary -Pedro esta enfermo
Position - Carmen esta en el salon
Valencia esta en Espana
2006-10-11 18:56:50 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
ser to be
Am-son
are(nosotros)-somos
are(tu)- esta
are vosotros- sois
is-es
are(ellos)-son
2006-10-11 18:58:45 · answer #9 · answered by My dad ate my homework 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you don't say el "perro es de yo", U say el "perro es mÃo", do not listen to the 2nd answer.
2006-10-12 19:44:36 · answer #10 · answered by desdemona 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋