Ser and Estar: An endless topic about Spanish language

It is true that for native Spanish speakers ser and estar are not a problem, but most native speakers are not able to explain the differences between ser and estar because both words are naturally integrated in their brains. Meanwhile, for non-native speakers this difference is essential for their Spanish learning. 

As a tutor, I know that even people fluent in Spanish still make mistakes when using ser or estar.  I deeply believe that apart from the grammar rules, reading and memory are fundamental to understand the use of ser and estar. Reading is necessary because you see in (real) texts the way they are used and memory is essential because when you read, repeat or hear several times phrases with ser and estar, the uses stick into your mind.

The previous paragraph is supported by one experience I had with a Canadian student. He was angry because he was struggling with this topic. I remembered he said to me: “Why do you say estar muerto (to be dead)? He is dead and the state will not change, it should be es muerto.” Based on the rules he was right because the rule says that esta” is for temporal (or changing) things and ser for permanent ones. To be dead (estar muerto) is a permanent state and consequently it should be ser muerto. I was trying to explain him about state changes, from alive to dead, but it didn´t help. It was clear to him that he had to accept that most of the time exceptions are the rule.

As you see even for tutors it is sometimes not easy to give logic answers. However, I think that for most grammar issues there are always logic reasons and rules are good. On the other hand, language is a living thing dependent on people and people are unexpected, consequently language is unexpected. 

After this experience I changed my mind and now I think that reading followed by a text analysis would help students grasp the idea better. As an example here is an extract from a Peruvian newspaper. Let's analyze the use of ser:

“Me encantan las playas de Perú más que las de Chile porque son más calentitas*. Es otro tipo de veraneo. Mientras en Chile las playas son más fresquitas, acá son más chiquititas pero tienen su onda, pues puedes tomar una cerveza en la playa tranquilamente sin que nadie te moleste. Con un rico ceviche, el ambiente es más relajado”... [I love beaches in Peru because they are warmer than Chilean beaches. It’s another summer. While in Chile beaches are cooler, here are smaller but with their own beauty, since you can drink peacefully a beer without being disturbed. With a delicious ceviche the environment is more relaxed]

*-ito,-ita: suffixes for diminutive in Spanish,e.g. niño = niñ+ito (male)/niñ+ita (female), caliente = calentito/-ita, fresco = fresquito/-ita, chico=chiquito/-ita

Ser is used mostly to describe people, things, places, events and the previous extract is a good example of this main characteristic. Some questions may clarify this aspect:   

1.    ¿Por qué le encantan las playas? (Why does she love Peruvian beaches?)

 

Porque son más calentitas. (Because they are [generally] hotter. The person is describing and making a comparison between Peruvian and Chilean beaches)

2.    ¿Cómo son las playas en Chile? (How are beaches in Chile?)

… en Chile las playas son más fresquitas … (in Chile beaches are cooler …) 

3.    ¿Cómo es el ambiente? (How is the environment?)

Con un rico ceviche, el ambiente es más relajado (With a ceviche [traditional dish] the environment is more relaxed)

Let´s see another extract of the same article:

¿Y el pisco es peruano o chileno? […] “Yo pienso que son dos productos totalmente distintos. Si yo pienso que el pisco es realmente peruano [...].

Ser used for origin: ¿Y el pisco es peruano o chileno? (And is it pisco [traditional drink] Peruvian or Chilean?)

Ser used for describing: “… pienso que son dos productos totalmente distintos” (I think they are totally different)

Source: http://peru21.pe/cultura/sandra-silva-chilena-que-siempre-celebra-28-julio-pisco-sour-2223682?href=cat0pos2

A brief example with estar from an article about health in the website of a Peruvian radio and television company:

“Cada vez está más claro que las bacterias intestinales pueden comunicarse con el cerebro humano: Esas bacterias liberan compuestos que actúan como neurotransmisores [...] Aún no estamos seguros exactamente de cómo se envían esos mensajes, pero los estamos siguiendo por sus efectos”, explican los autores del trabajo. [It is increasingly clear that intestinal bacteria can communicate with the human brain: these bacteria release compounds that act as neurotransmitters … We cannot be yet sure about how these communications take place, but we are following their effects”, authors explain]

Source: http://www.rpp.com.pe/2015-06-24-consumir-alimentos-ricos-en-grasa-y-azucar-deteriora-la-funcion-cognitiva-noticia_810480.html 

 

Estar is mostly used for indicating moods, states in a specific period of time and actions in progress. Our paragraph can be analyzed as follows:

1.    Cada vez está más claro que = Now it is increasingly clear (than before);

2.    Aún no estamos seguros exactamente de = We cannot be yet sure about (not yet); the temporal state is clear noted.

3.    pero los estamos siguiendo por sus efectos = but we are following their effects (an action in progress; typical use of estar + gerund)
 

This is just a simple attempt to analyze the uses of ser and estar. Of course, there are much more examples in several situations. I just wanted to provide you with a little help.

You can send me your doubts and I will try to clarify them!

Thanks for visiting me!

 Rosa