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Old May 12, 2019, 03:20 PM
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AngelicaDeAlquezar AngelicaDeAlquezar is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Mexico City
Posts: 9,047
Native Language: Mexican Spanish
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Although "estar" + "participio" reminds the structure of the passive voice, it isn't. And in this case it doesn't really make sense.

The construction "estar" + "participio" is called a "perífrasis de participio". It is formed by the verb "estar" with "participios" that refer to the resulting state of an action, or something that became transformed at the end of a process. The passive voice talks about someone doing something with a purpose.

- Estoy abrumado por los problemas. -> What you say when a normal state of peacefulness has been altered by the appearance of problems.
- Soy abrumado por los problemas. -> What you'd say if problems had an active will to overwhelm you.

- Estos juguetes están hechos por artesanos mexicanos. -> These toys are here thanks to the work of Mexican artisans.
- Estos juguetes son hechos por artesanos mexicanos. -> The Mexican artisans are making these toys.

- El tráfico está detenido por una manifestación. -> The cause of the cars being stopped is that there is a demonstration.
- El tráfico es detenido por una manifestación. -> The people in the demonstration are keeping the cars from moving along.

- Las puertas están cerradas. -> That's the state of the doors after having been put into this position.
- Las puertas son cerradas. -> Someone is closing the doors.


Edit: If you say "estoy invitado a una fiesta", it means you have this status as possible guest to the party that hasn't happened yet. Still not the same as "soy invitado a una fiesta", which would mean that you are being invited to a party by someone.
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Last edited by AngelicaDeAlquezar; May 12, 2019 at 03:23 PM. Reason: Added note
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