When to use "is" in a sentence?

[cb4]

Two spanish statements :
1) Nieva- it is snowing
2) Ella es enfermera- she is a nurse

Why does the second statement use "es" while the first one omits it? Is it because the second statement has a noun follow "es", while in the first statement "es" is used as an auxillary verb?

Thanks in advance

[wrholt]

Originally Posted by cb4

Two spanish statements :
1) Nieva- it is snowing
2) Ella es enfermera- she is a nurse

Why does the second statement use "es" while the first one omits it? Is it because the second statement has a noun follow "es", while in the first statement "es" is used as an auxillary verb?

Thanks in advance

Spanish and English patterns for using different verb tenses differ. In the first sentence, the Spanish version 'nieva' is the simple present tense, which can mean either 'it snows' or 'it is snowing' depending on context.

In English 'it snows' (simple present) NEVER describes current action; one must say "it is snowing' (present progressive). In Spanish, however, both 'nieva' (simple present) and 'está nevando' (present progressive) are perfectly acceptable ways to describe current action.

[cb4]

So when must you use "esta/es" and when can you not use it, compared to English?

[Rusty]

This thread contains lots of helpful information about the differences between 'ser' and 'estar'.

[cb4]

But what about knowing when to use neither?

[Rusty]

You cited an example up front. Some verbs in Spanish translate another way into English. When they can be translated as "It is _____," that's when you don't need to use 'ser'.

The Spanish simple present tense, by the way, can always be translated into the English progressive.

como = I eat, I do eat, I'm eating and I'll eat (near future)
come = he/she/it eats, he/she/it does eat, he/she/it is eating and he/she/it will eat (near future)

The Spanish progressive is only used for an action in progress.
estoy comiendo = I'm eating (right now)
está comiendo = he/she/it is currently eating


The other example you gave in the original post was of the linking verb 'ser'.

[cb4]

So then would "I am working" be translated simply to "trabajo"? Also, would "estoy trabajo" or "estoy trabajando" be incorrect? These seem similar to the snow sentence since "is" is being used as an auxillary verb

[Julvenzor]

Originally Posted by cb4

So then would "I am working" be translated simply to "trabajo"? Also, would "estoy trabajo " or "estoy trabajando" be incorrect? These seem similar to the snow sentence since "is" is being used as an auxillary verb

Something I've learnt by experience is that this use of "presente simple" in Spanish is even more common in Latin America than in Spain. In this context, I would only say "estoy trabajando" or, to the previous sentence: "está nevando".

On the other way, latin-american Spanish uses past tenses in a similar form to English.


What happened? = ¿Qué pasó/sucedió/ocurrió?


In contrast to european Spanish:


¿Qué ha pasado/sucedido/ocurrido? = What has happened?



Good bye!

[poli]

Originally Posted by cb4

So then would "I am working" be translated simply to "trabajo"? Also, would "estoy trabajo" or "estoy trabajando" be incorrect? These seem similar to the snow sentence since "is" is being used as an auxillary verb

Estoy trabajo doesn't make sense. Estoy trabajando (meaning currently in the process of working)or trabajo make sense.