One of the most common questions in Spanish is: ¿Cómo estás? (How are you) and the answer: Yo Estoy bien/mal (I am good/bad)… It is a temporary state as it changes clearly…Sometimes you are good, tired, sleepy…so, it will take us to verbo Estar (temporary to be). Today we will see the difference between Ser and Estar in Spanish.
Temporary Adjectives
Let’s see temporary adjectives that can be used only in a temporary state:
|
INGLÉS |
MASCULINO |
FEMENINO |
|
TIRED |
CANSADO |
CANSADA |
|
SLEEPY |
DORMIDO |
DORMIDA |
|
BORED |
ABURRIDO |
ABURRIDA |
|
SAD |
TRISTE |
TRISTE |
|
HAPPY (TEMPORARY) |
CONTENTO |
CONTENTA |
|
HAPPY |
FELIZ |
FELIZ |
|
CRAZY |
LOCO |
LOCA |
|
SICK |
ENFERMO |
ENFERMA |
|
ANGRY |
ENFADADO |
ENFADADA |
|
DEPRESSED |
DEPRIMIDO |
DEPRIMIDA |
|
NERVOUS |
NERVIOSO |
NERVIOSA |
|
WORRIED |
PREOCUPADO |
PREOCUPADA |
|
STRESSED |
ESTRESADO |
ESTRESADA |
|
TO BE IN A GOOD MOOD |
ESTAR DE BUEN HUMOR |
|
|
TO BE IN A BAD MOOD |
ESTAR DE MAL HUMOR |
|
Temporary Vs Permanent Adjectives.
We have seen temporary adjectives to express our temporary mental/physic state. Most of them were just temporary adjectives, which means that they can only be used with the verb ESTAR, NOT in a permanent expression with the verb SER. Let’s see it with a clear example:
Verbo ESTAR (To be temporary):
YO ESTOY CANSADO
I AM TIRED
◊ Now let’s try the same phrase with verbo SER (To be permanent):
YO SOY CANSADO
I AM TIRED
Do you think the expression right above is right? Can a person be tired permanently? Well, eventually we have met in life people that are always tired but in Spanish grammar terms, a person can’t always be tired so the verb SER (To be permanent) is not right. Therefore:
YO ESTOY CANSADO ⇔ CORRECT
I AM TIRED
YO SOY CANSADO ⇔ INCORRECT
I AM TIRED
As we said, most of the adjectives were temporary, but not all. Now let’s pick another one, NERVIOSO (Nervous) per example:
Verbo ESTAR (To be temporary):
YO ESTOY NERVIOSO
I AM NERVOUS
♣ Now let’s try the same phrase with verbo SER (To be permanent):
YO SOY NERVIOSO
I AM NERVOUS
Do you think both expressions right above are right? Can a person be nervous permanently and temporarily? Yes, a person can be a nervous person, and, also can be a calm person, but, it depends on what situations such as an interview, date, meeting….can get nervous. Therefore:
YO ESTOY NERVIOSO ⇔ CORRECT
I AM NERVOUS
(Nervous in a specific moment)
YO SOY NERVIOSO ⇔ CORRECT
I AM NERVOUS
(A nervous person)
This difference between the use of SER/ESTAR in these temporary/permanent ideas is very common. We are going to see a curious case that probably surprises you with LOCO:
Verbo ESTAR (To be temporary):
YO ESTOY LOCO
I AM CRAZY
♦ Now let’s try the same phrase with verbo SER (To be permanent):
YO SOY LOCO
I AM CRAZY
Do you think both expressions right above are right? Can a person be crazy permanently and temporarily? NO. We know that people think that, eventually, people can act and do crazy stuff, but, in grammar terms, we believe that being crazy is a very serious mental illness, so, as a disease, it can be healed, even though some people remain crazy forever. Therefore:
YO ESTOY LOCO ⇔ CORRECT
I AM CRAZY
YO SOY LOCO ⇔ INCORRECT
I AM CRAZY
One more example with FELIZ:
Verbo ESTAR (To be temporary):
YO ESTOY FELIZ
I AM HAPPY
♠ Now let’s try the same phrase with verbo SER (To be permanent):
YO SOY FELIZ
I AM HAPPY
Do you think both expressions right above are right? Can a person be happy permanently and temporarily? Yes, a person can be a happy person, and also, can be a non very happy person, but, it depends on what situations such as parties, dates…can be happy in that very right moment. Therefore:
YO ESTOY FELIZ ⇔ CORRECT
I AM HAPPY
(Happy in a specific moment)
YO SOY FELIZ ⇔ CORRECT
I AM HAPPY
(A happy person)
We are not going to do this explanation with all of the adjectives written in the previous table, but, we will see them all together and explain if they can be used in a temporary form or in a temporary/permanent for. Let’s see the table again:
|
INGLÉS |
MASCULINO |
FEMENINO |
TEMPORARY VS PERMANENT |
|
TIRED |
CANSADO |
CANSADA |
TEMPORARY |
|
SLEEPY |
DORMIDO |
DORMIDA |
TEMPORARY |
|
BORED |
ABURRIDO |
ABURRIDA |
TEMPORARY/PERMANENT |
|
SAD |
TRISTE |
TRISTE |
TEMPORARY |
|
HAPPY (TEMPORARY) |
CONTENTO |
CONTENTA |
TEMPORARY |
|
HAPPY |
FELIZ |
FELIZ |
TEMPORARY/PERMANENT |
|
CRAZY |
LOCO |
LOCA |
TEMPORARY |
|
SICK |
ENFERMO |
ENFERMA |
TEMPORARY |
|
ANGRY |
ENFADADO |
ENFADADA |
TEMPORARY |
|
DEPRESSED |
DEPRIMIDO |
DEPRIMIDA |
TEMPORARY |
|
NERVOUS |
NERVIOSO |
NERVIOSA |
TEMPORARY/PERMANENT |
|
WORRIED |
PREOCUPADO |
PREOCUPADA |
TEMPORARY |
|
STRESSED |
ESTRESADO |
ESTRESADA |
TEMPORARY |
|
TO BE IN A GOOD MOOD |
ESTAR DE BUEN HUMOR |
TEMPORARY |
|
|
TO BE IN A BAD MOOD |
ESTAR DE MAL HUMOR |
TEMPORARY |
|
- CANSADO, a person can’t always be tired as we have explained previously.
- DORMIDO, a person can’t always be sleepy, and if so, that person has a problem.
- ABURRIDO, a person can be bored in a specific moment or unfortunately, can be a boring person.
- TRISTE, a person can’t be always sad, and if so, the person has a problem.
- CONTENTO, this is a happy temporary Adjective. ONLY. It won’t be used in a permanent expression.
- FELIZ, a person can be permanently happy and temporarily as we have explained.
- LOCO, a person can’t always be crazy as we have explained previously.
- ENFERMO, even though we know that it can happen in life, a person can’t always be sick because in grammar terms, we think that a disease can be healed.
- ENFADADO, a person can’t be always angry, and if so, that person has a BIG problem.
- DEPRIMIDO, a person can’t always be depressed as depression is an illness, so, we believe that it can be healed.
- NERVIOSO, a person can be permanently nervous and temporarily as we have explained.
- PREOCUPADO, a person can’t always be worried, and if so, that person has a problem.
- ESTRESADO, a person can’t be always stressed, and if so, the person has a problem.
- ESTAR DE BUEN/MAL HUMOR, is clear temporarily, and we have even written the verbo ESTAR on the table a temporary state.
Permanent Vs Temporary Adjectives.
You probably know different adjectives to describe a person’s personality. Now we are going to see them back and see if they can actually be used in a temporary idea. Let’s pick one of those adjectives to see a clear example. Let’s see SIMPÁTICO (friendly, nice):
Verbo ESTAR (To be temporary):
YO ESTOY SIMPÁTICO
I AM NICE
◊ Now let’s try the same phrase with verbo SER (To be permanent):
YO SOY SIMPÁTICO
I AM NICE
Do you think both expressions right above are right? Can a person be nice permanently and temporarily? Yes, a person can be a nice person and also can be a non very friendly person but it depends on what situations can be nice to others in that very right moment. Therefore:
YO ESTOY SIMPÁTICO ⇔ CORRECT
I AM NICE
(nice in a specific moment)
YO SOY SIMPÁTICO ⇔ CORRECT
I AM NICE
(A nice person permanently)
Let’s try now with EXTROVERTIDO (Outgoing):
Verbo ESTAR (To be temporary):
YO ESTOY EXTROVERTIDO
I AM OUTGOING
♦ Now let’s try the same phrase with verbo SER (To be permanent):
YO SOY EXTROVERTIDO
I AM OUTGOING
Do you think both expressions right above are right? Can a person be outgoing permanently and temporarily? NO. We are going to use outgoing only to describe a person’s permanent personality, so we won’t use this adjective in a temporary way. To be outgoing is more a permanent characteristic that belongs to the person permanently. Therefore:
YO ESTOY EXTROVERTIDO ⇔ INCORRECT
I AM OUTGOING
YO SOY EXTROVERTIDO ⇔ CORRECT
I AM OUTGOING
(An outgoing person)
So, basically we have the same idea that has been told above between SER/ESTAR in temporary adjectives. Let’s see them all:
|
ENGLISH |
MASCULINE |
FEMININE |
|
NICE |
AGRADABLE |
AGRADABLE |
|
FUNNY |
DIVERTIDO |
DIVERTIDA |
|
BORING |
ABURRIDO |
ABURRIDA |
|
HUMBLE |
HUMILDE |
HUMILDE |
|
GENTLE |
AMABLE |
AMABLE |
|
CHEERFUL |
ALEGRE |
ALEGRE |
|
INTELLIGENT |
INTELIGENTE |
INTELIGENTE |
|
HARDWORKING |
TRABAJADOR |
TRABAJADORA |
|
SERIOUS |
SERIO |
SERIA |
|
SHY |
TÍMIDO |
TÍMIDA |
|
OUTGOING |
EXTROVERTIDO |
EXTROVERTIDA |
|
GOOD |
BUENO |
BUENA |
|
BAD |
MALO |
MALA |
|
LAZY |
VAGO |
VAGA |
|
FRIENDLY, NICE |
SIMPÁTICO |
SIMPÁTICA |
-
AGRADABLE, a person can be permanently nice and temporarily as we have explained.
-
DIVERTIDO, a person can be permanently funny and temporarily as we have explained.
-
ABURRIDO, a person can be bored in a specific moment, or, unfortunately, can be a boring person.
-
HUMILDE, we are going to use humble only for describing a person’s permanent personality; so we won’t use this adjective in a temporary way. To be humble temporarily is very weird.
-
AMABLE, a person can be permanently gentle and temporarily as we have explained.
-
ALEGRE, a person can be permanently cheerful and temporarily as we have explained.
-
INTELIGENTE, we are going to use intelligent only for describing a person’s permanent personality; so we won’t use this adjective in a temporary way. To be intelligent is more a permanent characteristic that belongs to the person permanently.
-
TRABAJADOR, a person can be permanently nice and temporarily as we have explained.
-
SERIO, a person can be permanently nice and temporarily as we have explained.
-
TÍMIDO, a person can be permanently nice and temporarily as we have explained.
-
EXTROVERTIDO, we are going to use outgoing only for describing a person’s permanent personality; so we won’t use this adjective in a temporary way. To be an outgoing person is more a permanent characteristic that belongs to the person permanently.
-
BUENO, this adjective requires a slower explanation because its meaning in a temporary expression is completely different from its meaning in a permanent expression.
ÉL ES BUENO
HE IS GOOD
⇒ ♥ BUENO used permanently means that this person is a good hearted person.
ÉL ESTÁ BUENO
HE IS GOOD
⇒ BUENO used temporarily means that this person is a hot/cute person. Watch out for the use!!! This is a very common expression in Spanish. If there is a hot person passing by and we are with our friends, the first thing that will come to our minds, will be this expression.
-
MALO, this adjective requires a slower explanation as well, because its meaning in a temporary expression is completely different from its meaning in a permanent expression.
ÉL ES MALO
HE IS BAD
⇒ MALO used permanently means that this person is a bad hearted person.
ÉL ESTÁ MALO
HE IS BAD
⇒ MALO used temporarily, despite what you may think from the previous explanation, does not mean that the person has a bad look. Used in a temporary way means that the person is sick. We do not specify what kind of disease the person has. Is just sick in general.
-
VAGO, a person can be permanently lazy and temporarily as we have explained.
-
SIMPÁTICO, a person can be permanently nice and temporarily as we have explained.
Quantify an adjective in Spanish
Once we have seen adjectives already, the description becomes very easy. Also as we had explained in Section 8, we can use some adverbs to quantify the adjective. In other words, to give to the adjective a more clear idea of its expression (very, a little bit, quite). Is better we see some examples to clarify the explanation.
Adverbs that quantify an adjective:
|
VERY |
MUY |
|
A LITTLE BIT |
UN POCO |
|
QUITE |
BASTANTE |
First remember the previous lessons:
¿CÓMO ESTÁ TU MADRE?
HOW IS YOUR MOM?
- MI MADRE ESTÁ CANSADA
- MY MOM IS TIRED
Let’s use the adverbs in the sentence then:
¿CÓMO ESTÁ TU MADRE?
HOW IS YOUR MOM?
♠ VERY:
- MI MADRE ESTÁ MUY CANSADA
- MY MOM IS VERY TIRED
♣ QUITE:
- MI MADRE ESTÁ BASTANTE CANSADA
- MY MOM IS QUITE TIRED
♦ A LITTLE BIT:
- MI MADRE ESTÁ UN POCO CANSADA
- MY MOM IS A LITTLE BIT TIRED
2 Comments
Yo estoy en el equipo de tennis vs yo soy en el equipo de tennis why is incorrect ? yo soy en el equipo
Hola Claudia,
location is expressed with -Estar- and you are locating yourself in the team.