Lynn Cobb
TO BE...
OR
NOT TO BE
Learn
Aprender
www.learn-aprender.blogspot.com.es www.facebook.com/LearnAprender
One question many of my students ask me, usually not long after
they start studying Spanish, is ‘Why are there two verbs which mean
the same?’ quickly followed by ‘How do I know which to use?’
When I’m teaching Spanish, I have found that it works better for
most students to learn to use SER & ESTAR correctly, before they
necessarily learn why. That way, most of the time they will instinctively
use the correct one.
First I teach to the use of ESTAR to tell the position of something.
Then ESTAR with the gerundio to say what someone is doing (the
present continuous).
Then we use ESTAR for describing the condition of someone or
something or someone’s mood. Meanwhile we’ll also be using SER
to tell the time, to show possession, for physical description & so on.
Eventually though, the day comes when explanations have to be
given….
ESTAR
ESTOY
ESTAMOS
we are
ESTÁS
Lynn Cobb
I am
you are
ESTÁIS
you (all)
are
they are
ESTÁ he/she/it
is
ESTÁN