Previous or current
 

On that application for job skills training, which you all were so helpful with, let me put forward two more doubts:

How did you hear about [name of organization]?
¿Cómo se enteró usted de [.........]?
¿Cómo tenía usted noticias de [........]?
¿Cómo supo de [..........]?

and one of the answers to the question is

I am a previous or current Skills Training student.
Estoy un previo - o actual - estudiante de Capacitación Laboral
Estuve - o estoy - estudiante de Capacitación Laboral
Estudié antes - o estudio ahora - la Capacitación Laboral

As for this:
We never say "estar estudiante", but "ser estudiante". However, that is not what makes any of the sentences sound awkward, but the fact that at least a Mexican would never use the word "estudiante" for a practical training course... maybe (but maybe) "alumno". :thinking:

I'd rather say something like "Llevé/tomé antes el curso de capacitación", "estuve antes en el curso de capacitación", "llevo / estoy llevando / estoy tomando el curso de capacitación", "Estoy (inscrito) en el curso de capacitación"...

Thanks, I used your suggestions to good effect. Good to know the difference, since I was confused about estudiante vs. alumno. However, I still wonder about ser vs. estar here, since the person will only be [estar] a student for a certain amount of time - and it might not be in his nature to be [ser] a permanent student. Help me out here!

Professions, occupations, working posts, etc., are always expressed with "ser".


- Soy estudiante en la Universidad Nacional.
- Mi tía es enfermera.
- El señor Ramírez es el nuevo gerente de ventas.
- José es ingeniero.
- La señora Sánchez es la dueña de este negocio.
- Somos amigos, pero también somos compañeros de trabajo.


My advice is forget about the permanent/temporary thing; this is the common source of most confusion. :thinking: Take a look at the explanations on the thread about Ser and Estar, and I think you'll find a few better ways to approach the differences. :)

As a more general statement: 'ser' allows noun phrases as predicates; 'estar' does not.

That is a good point, wrholt! The linking verb 'to be' in English is always expressed with 'ser' in Spanish. So if you recognize that you're using a linking verb (and a subject and predicate noun or a predicate adjective) in English, you should use 'ser' in Spanish.

In phrases like 'soy estudiante', 'estudiante' is a defining characteristic. It's a predicate noun, and 'ser' is the linking verb.

I will learn that. It may simplify some explanations. :)
Thank you, wrholt! :)

Very helpful advice; many thanks to all three of you!