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Meaning Changes - Ser vs. EstarThis is the place for questions about conjugations, verb tenses, adverbs, adjectives, word order, syntax and other grammar questions for English or Spanish. |
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Meaning Changes - Ser vs. Estar
I wonder if it would be a good idea to make a new sticky thread (or a vocabulary by theme thread?) looking at the changes in meaning that can happen when exchanging ser vs. estar + an adjective or participle. Let me give a few of the examples that I have run across for a start:
aburrido ser aburrido = to be boring estar aburrido = to be bored callado ser callado = to be soft-spoken estar callado = to be silent nervioso ser nervioso = to be neurotic estar nervioso = to be jittery listo ser listo = to be clever estar listo = to be ready vivo ser vivo = to be vivacious estar vivo = to be alive atento ser atento = to be courteous estar atento = to be attentive consciente ser consciente = to be aware estar consciente = to be conscious (awake) decidido ser decidido = to be resolute estar decidido = to be decided despierto ser despierto = to be alert; sharp estar despierto = to be awake enfermo ser enfermo = to be an invalid, sickly estar enfermo = to be sick interesado ser interesado = to be self-serving estar interesado = to be interested loco ser loco = to be mad, upset estar loco = to be scatterbrained rico ser rico = to be rich estar rico = to be delicious torpe ser torpe = to be slow-witted estar torpe = to be clumsy, awkward verde ser verde = to be green estar verde = to be unripe grave ser grave = to be serious estar grave = to be seriously ill moreno ser moreno = to be dark-skinned estar moreno = to be tanned pálido ser pálido = to be pale-skinned estar pálido = to be pale pesado ser pesado = to be heavy estar pesado = to be tiresome seguro ser seguro = to be safe estar seguro = to be certain Are these correct? What notable others have I forgotten? Thoughts?
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- Lou Ann, de Washington, DC, USA Específicamente quiero recibir ayuda con el español de latinoamerica. ¡Muchísimas gracias! |
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#2
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What about: agrio; blanco; bueno; ciego; decente; fuerte; guapo; joven; nuevo; oscuro; orgulloso; perezoso; rojo; soltero; viejo; cansado; considerado; despistado; divertido; parado ? Some of these have the same meaning except that with ser it is permanent and with estar just temporary. Some have important differences for example guapo. |
#3
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Would you give the meanings of these with ser & estar.... I can't find all of them in my dictionaries.....
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- Lou Ann, de Washington, DC, USA Específicamente quiero recibir ayuda con el español de latinoamerica. ¡Muchísimas gracias! |
#4
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agrio ser agrio: to be sauer (by nature) estar agrio: to taste sauer blanco ser blanco: to be white estar blanco: to be pale (from fear) bueno ser bueno: to be good estar bueno: to be healthy ciego ser ciego: to be blind (from birth) estar ciego: to be blinded (by the sun) decente ser decente: to be decent respectable estar decente: to look decent fuerte ser fuerte: to be strong estar fuerte: to be good at something guapo/a ser guapo/a: to be handsome, pretty estar guapo/a: to look nice (even though normally ugly) joven ser joven: to be young estar joven: to look young nuevo ser nuevo: to be new estar nuevo: to look new oscuro ser oscuro: to be dark (in a room) estar oscuro: to be dark (without sun) orgulloso ser orgulloso: to be a proud person estar orgulloso: to be proud of something perezoso ser perezoso: to be lazy by nature estar perezoso: to be lazy (in a particular case) rojo ser rojo: to be red estar rojo: to blush (with embarrassment) soltero ser soltero: to be unmarried estar soltero: to be still unmarried viejo ser viejo: to be old estar viejo: to look old cansado* ser cansado: to be tiring estar cansado: to be tired considerado* ser considerado: to be considerate estar considerado: to be highly regarded despistado* ser despistado: to be absent-minded estar despistado: to be daydreaming, miles away divertido* ser divertido: to be entertaining estar divertido: to be in a good mood parado* ser parado: to be shy estar parado: to be out of work *=past participles Please correct any mistakes, anyone |
#5
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ser vivaz = to be vivacious ser vivo = to be clever, sharp ser rico = to be rich ser rico = to be tasty, delicious as a general opinion or on a regular basis ("estar rico" is only for today's meal) ser torpe = to be clumsy, awkward (on a regular basis) estar torpe = ??? (temporarily; when you are sedated or under the effect of alcohol) ser pesado/ estar pesado ---> it can perfectly be the other way round.
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#6
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Some of the terms have different meanings according to what I hear.
Ser vivo means to be a real sharp character, but not in a positive way--like an accomplished cheater. ... and if I'm not mistaking :Ser pesado means to be a real bore. or a real pain in the neck. Words mean different things in different contexts though.
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Me ayuda si corrige mis errores. Gracias. |
#7
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I agree.
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Sorry, no English spell-checker |
#8
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Thanks, all - I love the discussion!! (And thanks, especially, Perikles, for running those definitions for me/us!)
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- Lou Ann, de Washington, DC, USA Específicamente quiero recibir ayuda con el español de latinoamerica. ¡Muchísimas gracias! |
#9
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About the rest estar bueno = healthy? it may be edible, sane, high quality, or it may be "well". ser fuerte = estar fuerte = to be good at something + basic distinction between ser and estar. estar joven = to look and act younger that his/er age estar nuevo = being in mint condition or without signal of being worn or wasted by use or time estar o(b)scuro = .... with insufficient light, in shadows ponerse rojo = to blush (with embarrassment) estar rojo = to show a reddish visage, like bloated / to be sunburnt ser viejo = estar viejo = to be old estar viejo = to be too old / to look and act older than his/er real age estar considerado = to be regarded as (it's an incomplete phrase) estar bien considerado = ser bien considerado = to be highly-regarded estar despistado = to be muddled estar divertido = to be having fun
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#10
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"sauer" - is that a BrE spelling? In the US, we spell it: "sour"....
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- Lou Ann, de Washington, DC, USA Específicamente quiero recibir ayuda con el español de latinoamerica. ¡Muchísimas gracias! |
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