Verbs – Ser (to be) Estar (to be)

 

Summary of contents – Lesson 20

 

1-     Two verbs with only one meaning in English! An introduction to the concept and a comparison with the verb ‘hacer’ (to make / to do.)

2-     When to use ‘ser’. A look at some of the most common situations where ‘ser’ and not ‘estar’ is used in conversation.

3-     When to use ‘estar’. A look at some of the most common situations where ‘estar’ and not ‘ser’ is used in conversation.

4-     A look at how ‘ser’ or ‘estar’ are used in the same types of sentence structures but where the meaning of the sentence changes depending on which verb is used.

5-     Looking at how ‘ser’ and ‘estar’ are formed in various tenses. Both verbs are irregular! A closer look at how ‘ser’ is formed in the past simple (preterite), tense and how it compares to the verb ‘ir’ (to go.) It is the same!

 

 

Aims of the lesson

 

1-     Being able to adapt to the concept of having two verbs in Spanish that translate to only one verb in English and vice versa.

2-     Having a sound grasp of when to use ‘ser’ in conversation and when to use ‘estar’. Being able to identify the most common types of situations and sentence structures where both are used and being able to apply this logic in order to correctly form sentences.

3-     Understanding how the use of either ‘ser’ or ‘estar’ in a sentence can alter the meaning of that sentence. Appreciating how subtle differences in meaning can significantly impact the translation of what is being said!

4-     Being able to correctly conjugate the verbs ‘ser’ and ‘estar’ in various different tenses. Recognising when the verb ‘ir’ is being used in the past simple (preterite), tense and not ‘ser’ by the content of the sentence itself.

5-     Learning set phrases where either ‘ser’ or ‘estar’ are always used.