3.9 Using ESTAR to Express a Feeling or Condition Language Lesson

3.9 Using ESTAR to Express a Feeling or
Condition
Language & Culture Lessons
The verb estar is one of the most useful verbs in Spanish, as it not only describes location but also physical, mental, and
emotional states or feelings. Let’s practice more with this important verb.
Language Lesson
Using ESTAR to Express a Feeling or Condition
The verb estar is one of the most useful verbs in Spanish, as it not only describes location but also physical, mental,
and emotional states or feelings.
Let’s practice more with this important verb. Express a condition or feeling by
adding a descriptive adjective after estar.
Por ejemplo:
Estoy muy enojado.
I am very angry.
Mi padre y yo estamos ocupados.
My father and I are busy.
¿Estás cansado?
Are you tired?
You can also use estar in this way to describe the condition of various places or things.
Por ejemplo:
La casa está limpia.
The house is clean.
Mi habitación está ordenada.
My room is tidy.
La tienda está cerrada.
The shop is closed.
Remember that these conditions or states must be temporary. In other words, a clean house will eventually become
messy, a tidy room will soon become disorganized, and a closed shop will eventually open.
If you are describing a permanent condition of something (for example, “La pared es blanca,” or “The wall is white”),
you must use ser.
The following is a list of common adjectives used with estar:
Physical conditions or states
Caluroso... hot weather
Helado...icy
Limpio... clean
Sucio...dirty
Ordenado... tidy
Oscuro...dark
Lleno... full
Vacío...empty
Caluroso
hot weather
Helado
icy
Limpio
clean
Sucio
dirty
Ordenado
tidy
Oscuro
dark
Lleno
full
Vacío
empty
Mental or emotional feelings
Triste... sad
Feliz... happy
Nervioso... nervous
Cansado... tired
Ocupado... busy
Enojado... angry
Preocupado... worried
Adolorido... sore
Triste
sad
Feliz
happy
Nervioso
nervous
Cansado
tired
Ocupado
busy
Enojado
angry
Preocupado
worried
Adolorido
sore
DO NOT use estar to describe feeling hungry, thirsty, hot, or cold, however. Instead, you will use the verb tener (to
have), as in, “I have hunger,” “I have thirst,” “I have heat,” et cetera.
Using the proper verb to express feelings is very important. If you try to say, “Estoy caliente,” to mean “I am hot”
(rather than Tengo calor) people will look at you strangely! That is not because the sentence is grammatically
incorrect. Rather, it is because the statement “Estoy caliente” has a sexual connotation.
When to Use ESTAR, When to Use SER
One of the most difficult things for new Spanish speakers to learn is the difference between ser and estar. Here is a
summary to help you clarify their use.
Use SER for...
Por ejemplo
Possession
La casa es mía.
Nationality
Yo soy de España.
Occupation
Él es profesor.
Permanent Characteristics
La puerta es vieja.
Time
Son las ocho y media.
Use ESTAR for…
Por ejemplo
Location
Estamos en Perú.
Weather
Está nublado.
Physical Health
Estoy enfermo.
Mental Health and Well Being
Estamos cansados.
Emotions
Estás triste.
Continuous actions in the present
Estás estudiando.
The Importance of Getting SER and ESTAR Right
You may wonder why all the fuss. If you confuse ser and estar while you’re in a Spanish- speaking country, they’ll
still understand you … right?
I hate to disappoint you, but no. The meaning of many sentences can completely change according to whether you use
ser or estar … and sometimes in very embarrassing ways.
Por ejemplo:
El niño está aburrido.
The boy is bored.
El niño es aburrido.
The boy is boring.
La manzana está verde.
The apple is unripe.
La manzana es verde.
The apple is green.
El perro está malo.
The dog is sick.
El perro es malo.
The dog is bad.
El hombre está borracho.
The man is drunk.
El hombre es borracho.
The man is a drunk.
Culture
Showing Emotions
Latin America in notoriously known for its 'macho' culture. Men like to see themselves as tough and insensitive,
whilst women want to be rescued and raise children. But beneath the surface, you can see that women can be strong
and bossy, and men can be as docile and caring as a soap opera hero.
When it comes to dating, for some reason Latinos love drama! It's uncommon to see a couple in silence, if they are it's
a sure sign that there's trouble in paradise! Instead couples are usually very flamboyant in their shows of affection
for one another. Besando kissing, abrazando hugging and tomando la mano holding hands are not at all un-common.
Cheek-to-cheek greeting
Children are used to being hugged and kissed by most adults, even if they don't know the adult very well. Grownups
are also very physical in their greetings and conversations. Some foreigners might mistake this for drunken or
aggressive behavior, but in fact they're simply showing how much they like one another! For many Latinos, it's a real
cultural shock to see foreigners defend their personal space, keeping physical distance with friends, and not shaking
hands or kissing on the cheek when greeting someone they care about.
So be prepared to relajar relax a little! If you resist a friend's attempt to shake your hand, or give you a kiss goodbye,
you'll probably just create a very awkward situation!
Libros Media Ltd. - Copyright 2004-2014
USA: 10660 Page Avenue, PO Box 1261, Fairfax, VA 22038, USA | Phone: 703-349-0452
Asia/Pacific: 2-1008 Ferry Road, Woolston, Christchurch 8023, New Zealand | Phone: +64-3-384-6350