When to use the verb "Ser" and when to use "Estar"

[brute]

Por favor. ¿Ser o estar con gerundios y participales de pasado? ¿Hay normas faciles?

Soy ....estoy casado Esta muerte ...... ¿Permanente o no?

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by brute

Por favor. ¿Ser o estar con gerundios y participales de pasado? ¿Hay normas faciles?

Soy ....estoy casado Esta muerte ...... ¿Permanente o no?

Both soy casado and estoy casado are correct. There is a slight nuance in the meaning though:

Estoy casado = I am married.
Soy casado = I am a married man.

Estoy refers to your state of being married, and soy to your quality of being married.

[laughingwithfee]

My teacher gave us a formula that really helps:

When using estar, use x versus x, meaning you're comparing (insert whatever it is you're talking about) to itself.

When using ser, use x versus y, meaning you're comparing (insert whatever it is you're talking about) to a set of other things.

Example: Let's say we're talking about Paco. If I want to say that Paco is happy today, I would use estar, because Paco is happy compared to his usual emotional state. I would say, "Paco está feliz."

If I want to say that Paco is a happy person, I would use ser, because Paco is a happy person compared to everyone else. I would say, "Paco es feliz."

I hope this helped.

[bobjenkins]

Originally Posted by laughingwithfee

My teacher gave us a formula that really helps:

When using estar, use x versus x, meaning you're comparing (insert whatever it is you're talking about) to itself.

When using ser, use x versus y, meaning you're comparing (insert whatever it is you're talking about) to a set of other things.

Example: Let's say we're talking about Paco. If I want to say that Paco is happy today, I would use estar, because Paco is happy compared to his usual emotional state. I would say, "Paco está feliz."

If I want to say that Paco is a happy person, I would use ser, because Paco is a happy person compared to everyone else. I would say, "Paco es feliz."

I hope this helped.

Gracias por la manera nueva

[laughingwithfee]

Originally Posted by bobjenkins

Gracias por la manera nueva

De nada. Estoy encantada de poder ayudarte.

[ROBINDESBOIS]

VEry good Tomisimo

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by brute

Por favor. ¿Ser o estar con gerundios y participales de pasado? ¿Hay normas faciles?

Soy ....estoy casado Esta muerte ...... ¿Permanente o no?

Originally Posted by Tomisimo

Both soy casado and estoy casado are correct. There is a slight nuance in the meaning though:

Estoy casado = I am married.
Soy casado = I am a married man.

Estoy refers to your state of being married, and soy to your quality of being married.

David - first of all, I like this thread ... I struggle with ser & estar ... and this helps.

Second, I appreciate your answer to his question about "soy/estoy casado". But what about his question about "esta muerte"? Would it ever be "está" with muerte? Or would it always be "es"? I mean, how can one be temporarily dead?

[irmamar]

It is not "está muerte" (muerte means death), but "está muerto" (dead).

I'll never say "soy casada", but "estoy casada", not in modern Spanish Spain, at least.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

@Lou Ann: David is right about "ser/estar casado". In Mexico is equally frequent to say one or the other.

--¿Ya conociste al nuevo gerente? (Have you met the new manager?)
--Sí, ¿sabes si es casado? / ¿crees que esté casado? (Yes, do you know/believe he's married?)


As for "estar muerto", "estar" is the right choice most of the times.
"Ser muerto" would mean some kind of zombie or so.

El médico no pudo hacer nada por Juan. Está muerto.
The doctor couldn't do anything for Juan. He's dead.


Someone joking in a graveyard:
¡Soy un muerto que sale de su tumba! ¡BU!
I'm a deadman coming out of his grave! BOO!

[irmamar]

Well, not in Spain. La gente está casada, no es casada. Yo he oído "es casado" a gente muy mayor, quizá era antes, cuando no existía el divorcio. Ahora la gente está casada, soltera, divorciada, separada o viuda. Pero está, no es. Digo en mi país. . De hecho, a esto se denomina "estado civil".