Uses of Estar
Estar is used:
To express location or position, whether of a person, a city or a movable object.
El libro está en la mesa.
The book is on the table.
Juárez está en México.
Juarez is in Mexico.
¿Dónde está Benito?
Where is Benito?
Mi padre está en el campo.
My father is in the country.
San Francisco está en California.
San Francisco is in California.
But: Ser is used to express the location of an event, as opposed to that of an object. If the verb ‘is’ expresses the idea of ‘takes place,’ then ser must be used.
El examen es en el edificio B.
The exam (the event) is in Building B.
El concierto de los Rolling Stones es en el estadio de fútbol.
The Rolling Stones concert is in the football stadium.
To express a condition that is accidental or temporary (a condition that is not an inherent or characteristic quality).
La mujer está enferma.
The woman is sick.
El agua está fría.
The water is cold.
La muchacha está pálida.
The girl is pale.
Note: Estar is always used with muerto, even though death is not a temporary condition. The opposite, more obviously, is estar vivo (to be alive).
Mi abuelo está muerto.
My grandfather is dead.
To express the false passive. The verb estar, followed by a past participle, is used to show the result of some previous action. The past participle in this construction also is used as an adjective, and therefore agrees with the subject in gender and number. Do not confuse this construction with the true passive.
El libro está bien escrito.
The book is well written.
La mujer está sentada.
The woman is seated.
La puerta está cerrada.
The door is closed.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you!