Gramática - use of ser
Ser is used to signify equivalence or identity between
two elements:
Alberto es doctor.
Alberto = doctor. Alberto is a doctor.
María es una buena persona.
María = buena persona. Maria is a good person.
Ramón es colombiano.
Ramón = colombiano. Ramon is Colombian.
Ser is used to indicate origin:
Diego es de Perú. Diego is from Peru.
Este tapete es de México. This rug is from Mexico.
Ser is used to express possession:
Esa bicicleta es de Gustavo. That bike is Gustavo's.
Las llaves son de Julio. Those keys are Julio's.
Ser is used to talk about time:
Son las dos. It's two.
Es la una y media. It's one thirty.
Ser is used to talk about dates
Hoy es el cuarto de junio. Today is the fourth of June.
Es jueves. It's Thursday.
Although estar is the verb you will usually use to refer
to places, ser is used in some cases.
For example, you use the verb ser for events.
Hint: replace SER with "takes place at" to know
whether or not to use SER when talking about where something is located.
La boda será en la iglesia de San Andrés.
The wedding will be at Saint Andrew's church.
El concierto fue en el auditorio nacional.
The concert was at the national auditorium.
Gramática - use of estar
Estar is used to signify the location of an object:
La escuela está al lado del correo.
The school is next to the post office.
Estar is used to express the present progressive:
Estoy escribiendo. I am writing.
Juan está escuchando. Juan is listening.
Estar is used to indicate a resultant condition:
estar + past participle
Estoy cansado. I am tired.
Estamos despiertos. We are awake.
It is very useful to use estar with prepositions to
explain where some place is.
Está al lado del monumento de la revolución.
It's next to the monument to the revolution.
Está en frente del terminal de autobuses.
It's in front of the bus terminal.
Está justo detrás de la parada de metro Tacubaya.
It's right behind the subway stop "Tacubaya."
Está en la misma calle que la embajada de los EEUU.
It's on the same street as the U.S. embassy.
Está por la iglesia de la conchita.
It's over by the church of the little shells
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