A unit of the course: the story, then chapter by chapter — sections, numbered lessons, a source or the numbers to read, three checks each — a review per chapter, and the wrap-up at the end.
Drawn scene: an Andalusian courtyard with a tiled fountain, an orange tree, blue flowerpots on white walls and arched doorways
6Unit
Soy and Estoy
Two Kinds of Am
English has one little verb for I am. Spanish has two. When you say who you are, where you are from or what you are like, you use ser: Soy Maya. Soy de Chicago. When you say how you feel or where you are right now, you use estar: Estoy cansada. Estoy en la escuela.
In this unit you will read a pen-pal letter from Monterrey and spend a long day at a county fair. You will learn the five forms of each verb, match -o and -a endings, and ask ¿De dónde eres? and ¿Cómo estás?
By the end you will be able to introduce yourself, describe a friend, say how you feel, tell where you are, and choose between ser and estar with a simple rule of thumb.
The story of the language
1492
Antonio de Nebrija publishes the first grammar of the Castilian Spanish language
1605
Miguel de Cervantes publishes the first part of Don Quixote
1713
The Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) is founded in Madrid to care for the language
1810
Mexico's fight for independence begins, remembered every September 16
1821
Mexico wins its independence from Spain
1891
José Martí publishes Versos sencillos, simple poems still read today
1945
Gabriela Mistral of Chile becomes the first Latin American to win the Nobel Prize in Literature
1971
Pablo Neruda of Chile wins the Nobel Prize in Literature
1982
Gabriel García Márquez of Colombia wins the Nobel Prize in Literature
11
Chapter
Ser: Who and What I Am
Ser
Big questionHow do you tell someone who you are, where you are from, and what you are like in Spanish?
The story
A Letter from Monterrey
A girl in Mexico writes to a new pen pal in Chicago, and every line uses one small verb.
Maya is in fourth grade in Chicago. Her class has pen pals in Monterrey, a big city in northern Mexico. One morning her teacher hands out envelopes. Maya's letter is from a girl named Lucía. The first line says ¡Hola, Maya! (Hi, Maya!).
Lucía writes: Me llamo Lucía. Soy de Monterrey. (My name is Lucía. I am from Monterrey.) Then she writes: Soy alta y soy simpática. (I am tall and I am nice.) Maya reads soy three times. She guesses it means I am.
Next Lucía writes about her family. Mi papá es maestro. (My dad is a teacher.) Mi hermano es muy cómico. (My brother is very funny.) Nosotros somos mexicanos. (We are Mexican.) Now Maya sees es and somos too.
At the end Lucía asks a question: ¿Y tú? ¿Cómo eres? (And you? What are you like?) Maya smiles. She wants to write back in Spanish. She will need soy, eres, es, somos and son. They are all forms of one verb, ser (to be).
Talk about itLucía used soy, es and somos. What do you think each one means, and how could you tell from the letter?
Section 1
Meet the Verb Ser
11.1
Soy: Saying Who I Am
Main ideaSoy means I am, and you use it to say your name and who you are.
Picture your first day with a new classmate. You point to yourself and say Soy Maya (I am Maya). That one word, , means I am. It comes from the verb (to be). A verb is an action or being word.
Look at more examples. Soy Carlos. (I am Carlos.) Soy estudiante. (I am a student.) Soy de Chicago. (I am from Chicago.) Each time, soy tells who you are. You do not need the word yo (I). The ending -oy already says I.
English speakers sometimes say Yo es. That is a mistake. Es goes with he or she. With I, always use soy. Say it aloud: soy, soy, soy. Now say your name after it.
Words to know
ser
to be — the verb for who you are, where you are from and what you are like
soy
I am — the yo form of ser: Soy Maya.
el estudiante / la estudiante
the student — Soy estudiante. (I am a student.)
Check yourself
1. How do you say I am Sofía in Spanish?
Why: Soy is the I form of ser. Es means he or she is.
2. What does Soy estudiante mean?
Why: Soy means I am, so Soy estudiante means I am a student.
3. Why can you say Soy Carlos without the word yo?
Why: The verb ending tells who. Soy can only mean I am, so yo is extra.
11.2
Eres and Es: You, He, She
Main ideaUse eres for you (a friend) and es for he, she or it.
Now you meet a classmate. You ask ¿Eres de Chicago? (Are you from Chicago?) The word means you are. Use it with tú, the word for you when you talk to a friend or a kid your age.
When you talk about someone else, use . Él es Marco. (He is Marco.) Ella es mi amiga. (She is my friend.) Es also works for things. Es un libro. (It is a book.) One form, es, covers he, she and it.
Watch the endings: soy, eres, es. A common mistake is to say Tú es. Es never goes with tú. Another mistake is to use soy for everyone. Stop and ask: who am I talking about? Then pick the ending.
Words to know
eres
you are — the tú form of ser: Eres simpático. (You are nice.)
es
he is, she is, it is — the él and ella form of ser: Ella es Ana.
tú
you — to a friend, a family member or a kid (with an accent mark)
Check yourself
1. Choose the right word: Tú ___ mi amigo.
Why: Tú goes with eres. Tú eres mi amigo means You are my friend.
2. Choose the right word: Ella ___ de Puerto Rico.
Why: Ella (she) goes with es. Ella es de Puerto Rico means She is from Puerto Rico.
3. What does Él es Marco mean?
Why: Él means he, and es means is. So Él es Marco means He is Marco.
11.3
Somos and Son: Groups
Main ideaUse somos for we are and son for they are or you all are.
Picture your soccer team in a photo. You say Somos amigos (We are friends). means we are. It goes with nosotros (we). Girls only can say nosotras. Both use somos.
Now point to two other kids. Ellos son hermanos. (They are brothers.) means they are. It goes with ellos, ellas and ustedes (you all). Ustedes son de Chicago. (You all are from Chicago.)
Now you have all five forms: soy, eres, es, somos, son. Some learners say Nosotros son. That mixes up we and they. Remember: we ends in -mos, like nosotros. Somos and nosotros both end in -mos.
Words to know
somos
we are — the nosotros form of ser: Somos amigos.
son
they are, you all are — the ellos, ellas and ustedes form of ser
nosotros
we — for a group with at least one boy; nosotras for a group of only girls
Check yourself
1. Choose the right word: Nosotros ___ de Illinois.
Why: Nosotros (we) goes with somos. Both end in -mos.
2. What does Ellas son hermanas mean?
Why: Ellas means they (girls), and son means are. So it means They are sisters.
3. Which sentence is correct?
Why: Ustedes (you all) takes son, the same form as ellos.
Section 2
Where You Are From
11.4
Soy de Chicago
Main ideaSer plus de tells where someone is from: Soy de Chicago.
Lucía wrote Soy de Monterrey. The little word means from. So ser + de + a place tells where a person is from. Soy de Chicago. (I am from Chicago.) Mi abuela es de Guatemala. (My grandma is from Guatemala.)
Use the right form of ser for the person. Tú eres de Texas. (You are from Texas.) Nosotros somos de Illinois. (We are from Illinois.) Ellos son de Colombia. (They are from Colombia.) The place stays the same. Only the verb changes.
English speakers sometimes forget de. They say Soy Chicago. That sounds like I am Chicago! Always put de before the place. Where you are from does not change, so Spanish uses ser for it.
Words to know
de
from, of — Soy de Chicago. (I am from Chicago.)
la ciudad
the city — Monterrey es una ciudad grande. (Monterrey is a big city.)
el país
the country — México es un país. (Mexico is a country.)
Check yourself
1. How do you say I am from Chicago?
Why: You need ser plus de plus the place: Soy de Chicago.
2. Choose the right word: Mis primos ___ de Colombia.
Why: Mis primos means my cousins, which is they. They takes son.
3. Why does Spanish use ser to say where you are from?
Why: Ser is for who you are and things that do not change, like where you are from.
11.5
Nationality Words
Main ideaNationality words are lowercase in Spanish and change -o to -a for a girl.
Lucía wrote Somos mexicanos (We are Mexican). A (nationality) is a word for what country someone is from. In English we write Mexican with a capital M. In Spanish, mexicano starts with a small m.
Many nationality words end in -o for a boy and -a for a girl. Pedro es mexicano. Rosa es mexicana. Juan es colombiano. Ana es colombiana. For a group, add -s: Ellos son cubanos.
Some words do not change. Estadounidense means from the United States. Él es estadounidense. Ella es estadounidense. It is the same for both. Watch out: do not use a capital letter, and match -o or -a to the person.
Words to know
la nacionalidad
nationality — what country a person is from
mexicano / mexicana
Mexican — for a boy or man / for a girl or woman
estadounidense
from the United States — the same word for a boy or a girl
Check yourself
1. Choose the right word: Rosa es ___.
Why: Rosa is a girl, so the word ends in -a. Nationality words are lowercase.
2. Which is spelled the Spanish way?
Why: In Spanish, nationality words start with a small letter, and a boy takes -o: cubano.
3. Kim is a girl from the United States. Which is right?
Why: Estadounidense is the same for boys and girls, lowercase, and Kim takes es.
11.6
Asking ¿De dónde eres?
Main ideaAsk ¿De dónde eres? and answer with Soy de and a place.
At a new school you want to know where a friend is from. Ask ¿De dónde eres? (Where are you from?) It starts with the upside-down ¿ and ends with ?. means where. It has an accent mark on the o.
Answer with soy de. ¿De dónde eres? Soy de Chicago. To ask about someone else, change eres to es. ¿De dónde es tu mamá? (Where is your mom from?) Mi mamá es de Honduras. (My mom is from Honduras.)
In English, from goes at the end: Where are you from? Spanish puts de first: ¿De dónde eres? A common mistake is ¿Dónde eres de? Keep de and dónde together at the start.
Words to know
¿de dónde?
from where? — ¿De dónde eres? (Where are you from?)
2. Someone asks ¿De dónde es tu abuelo? What is a good answer?
Why: The question is about your grandpa, so answer with es: Mi abuelo es de Cuba.
3. What does ¿De dónde es Ana? mean?
Why: De dónde means from where, so the question asks where Ana is from.
Section 3
What People Are Like
11.7
Describing with Ser
Main ideaSer plus a describing word tells what someone is like: Soy alto.
Lucía asked ¿Cómo eres? (What are you like?) To answer, use ser plus a describing word. Soy (I am tall). Soy cómico (I am funny). A describing word, or adjective, tells about a person or thing.
Describing words match the person. A boy is alto. A girl is alta. Mi hermano es alto. Mi hermana es alta. Some words end in -e and do not change: Él es inteligente. Ella es inteligente.
These words tell what a person is like most of the time. That is why they use ser. A common mistake is to say Soy alta if you are a boy. Check: does the ending match you?
Words to know
alto / alta
tall — for a boy / for a girl: Soy alto. Soy alta.
simpático / simpática
nice, friendly — Mi amiga es simpática.
inteligente
smart — the same for boys and girls
Check yourself
1. A boy says: Soy ___ (tall).
Why: A boy uses the -o ending: Soy alto.
2. Choose the right sentence about a girl named Eva.
Why: Eva takes es, and a girl takes the -a ending: simpática.
3. What does ¿Cómo eres? ask?
Why: With ser, ¿Cómo eres? asks what a person is like.
11.8
Jobs with Ser
Main ideaUse ser to say someone's job, and leave out un or una: Es maestra.
Lucía wrote Mi papá es maestro (My dad is a teacher). A job is part of who a person is. So jobs use ser. Mi mamá es doctora. (My mom is a doctor.) Yo soy estudiante. (I am a student.)
Notice something new. English says a teacher. Spanish just says maestro, with no un. Él es maestro. Ella es bombera. (She is a firefighter.) Leaving out un or una is normal with a job after ser.
Many jobs change -o to -a. El maestro, la maestra. El doctor, la doctora. Some stay the same, like estudiante. A common mistake is Mi mamá es maestro. Match the ending to the person.
Words to know
el maestro / la maestra
the teacher — Mi papá es maestro.
el doctor / la doctora
the doctor — Mi tía es doctora.
el bombero / la bombera
the firefighter — Él es bombero.
Check yourself
1. How do you say My mom is a teacher?
Why: Jobs use ser, and a woman teacher is maestra: Mi mamá es maestra.
2. Why do jobs use ser?
Why: Ser tells who a person is, and a job is part of that.
3. My uncle is a firefighter. Which is right?
Why: Mi tío is he, so use es, and a man is bombero.
11.9
Describing a Friend
Main ideaPut ser, where someone is from and what they are like together to describe a friend.
Now Maya writes back to Lucía about her best friend. Mi se llama Rosa. (My friend’s name is Rosa.) Rosa es de Chicago. Es alta y muy simpática. Each sentence uses a form of ser.
Build a description in three steps. First, say who: Él es mi amigo Leo. Next, say where he is from: Es de Humboldt Park, en Chicago. Last, say what he is like: Es cómico e inteligente. Use y (and) to join words. Before a word starting with i, y becomes e.
Check your work. Is the verb es for one friend? Does each describing word match? Amigo for a boy, amiga for a girl. Read it aloud. If it sounds like a picture of your friend, you did it!
Words to know
el amigo / la amiga
the friend — a boy friend / a girl friend: Mi amiga es Rosa.
muy
very — Es muy simpática. (She is very nice.)
cómico / cómica
funny — Mi amigo es cómico.
Check yourself
1. Maya's friend Rosa is funny. Which sentence is right?
Why: Rosa takes es, and a girl takes -a: cómica.
2. What does Mi amigo es de Humboldt Park mean?
Why: Es de plus a place tells where someone is from.
3. Leo and Sam are both smart. Which is right?
Why: Two people are they, so use son, and the describing word adds -s: inteligentes.
Chapter review
Ser: Who and What I Am
0 / 8
1. Choose the right word: Yo ___ de Chicago.
Why: Yo takes soy, the I form of ser.
2. Choose the right word: Tú ___ muy simpático.
Why: Tú takes eres.
3. What does Somos mexicanos mean?
Why: Somos means we are, and mexicanos means Mexican.
4. Which sentence is written correctly?
Why: Nationality words are lowercase, and Ana, a girl, takes -a with es.
5. How do you ask a friend Where are you from?
Why: ¿De dónde eres? asks where you are from. De goes first.
6. My dad is a doctor. Which is right?
Why: Jobs use ser, with no un, and a man is doctor.
7. In Lucía's letter, what did Soy de Monterrey tell Maya?
Why: Ser plus de plus a place tells where a person is from.
8. Which question does ser answer?
Why: Ser answers who someone is and what they are like.
Send it to your teacher
12
Chapter
Estar: How and Where I Am
Estar
Big questionHow do you tell someone how you feel and where you are, and how do you choose between ser and estar?
The story
A Day at the County Fair
One long day at the fair, told with a verb for feelings and places.
It is Saturday. Diego and his cousin Sara go to the county fair with Diego's grandma. In the car Sara says ¡Estoy contenta! (I am happy!) Diego says Yo también. Estoy contento. (Me too. I am happy.)
At the fair they ride the Ferris wheel. Sara looks down. ¡Qué alto! (How high!) Diego holds on tight. Estoy nervioso. (I am nervous.) Grandma waves from the ground. Ella está abajo. (She is down below.)
Later they eat corn and look at the pigs and goats. Then Sara cannot find Grandma. ¿Dónde está la abuela? (Where is Grandma?) Diego points. Está en el puesto de limonada. (She is at the lemonade stand.)
At sunset the kids sit on a bench. Grandma asks ¿Cómo están? (How are you?) Sara yawns. Estoy cansada, pero estoy feliz. (I am tired, but I am happy.) Diego is tired too. He says Estoy cansado.
Every feeling and every place today used forms of one verb: estoy, está, estamos, están. That verb is estar (to be). It tells how you are right now and where you are.
Talk about itDiego felt happy, then nervous, then tired. Why might Spanish use a special verb for feelings that change during a day?
Section 1
Meet the Verb Estar
12.1
Estoy: How I Am Right Now
Main ideaEstoy means I am, and you use it for how you feel right now.
Picture waking up on a school day. You feel sleepy. You say Estoy cansado (I am tired). means I am. It comes from the verb (to be). Spanish has two verbs for to be: ser and estar.
Estar tells how you are right now. Estoy bien. (I am fine.) Estoy contenta. (I am happy.) Estoy enfermo. (I am sick.) These feelings can change. By lunch you may not be tired anymore.
Watch the accent. Estoy has none. Say it aloud slowly: es-TOY. A common mistake is Soy cansado for I am tired. Tired is a feeling right now, so use estoy.
Words to know
estar
to be — the verb for how you feel and where you are
estoy
I am — the yo form of estar: Estoy bien.
bien
fine, well — Estoy bien. (I am fine.)
Check yourself
1. How do you say I am fine?
Why: Feelings right now use estar, and the I form is estoy.
2. What does Estoy enfermo mean?
Why: Estoy means I am, and enfermo means sick.
3. Why do you say Estoy cansado and not Soy cansado?
Why: Estar is for feelings that can change, like being tired.
12.2
The Five Forms of Estar
Main ideaEstar has five forms here: estoy, estás, está, estamos, están.
At the fair, Sara asks Diego ¿ bien? (Are you OK?) Estás goes with tú. Then she talks about Grandma: Ella cansada. (She is tired.) Está goes with él, ella and usted.
For groups, use two more forms. Nosotros estamos en la feria. (We are at the fair.) Ellos están contentos. (They are happy.) Estamos ends in -mos, just like somos and nosotros. Están goes with ellos, ellas and ustedes.
Look at the accent marks: estás, está, están. They put the stress on the last part: es-TÁ. Without the mark, esta means this. So write the accent every time.
Words to know
estás
you are — the tú form of estar: ¿Estás bien?
está
he, she or it is — the él and ella form of estar: Ella está feliz.
estamos / están
we are / they or you all are — Estamos bien. Están cansados.
Check yourself
1. Choose the right word: Nosotros ___ contentos.
Why: Nosotros takes estamos. Both end in -mos.
2. Choose the right word: Tú ___ nervioso.
Why: Tú takes estás, with an accent on the a.
3. Which is spelled correctly for She is happy?
Why: Ella takes está, and it needs the accent mark.
12.3
¿Cómo estás?
Main idea¿Cómo estás? asks how someone feels, and you answer with estoy.
When you meet a friend in the hall, you ask ¿ estás? (How are you?) Cómo means how. Your friend answers with estoy. Estoy bien, gracias. (I am fine, thanks.) Estoy muy bien. (I am very well.) Estoy mal. (I am not well.)
To ask about someone else, change the verb. ¿Cómo está tu hermana? (How is your sister?) Está enferma. (She is sick.) To ask a group, say ¿Cómo están? (How are you all?)
Do not mix this up with ¿Cómo eres? That uses ser and asks what you are like. ¿Cómo estás? asks how you feel today. One small change in the verb makes a different question.
Words to know
¿cómo?
how? — ¿Cómo estás? (How are you?)
mal
bad, not well — Estoy mal. (I am not well.)
Check yourself
1. What does ¿Cómo estás? mean?
Why: Cómo with estar asks how someone feels.
2. A friend asks ¿Cómo estás? Which answer fits?
Why: Answer about yourself with estoy: Estoy bien, gracias.
3. How do you ask How is your mom?
Why: Your mom is she, so use está. ¿Cómo es? would ask what she is like.
Section 2
Feelings That Change
12.4
Words for Feelings
Main ideaFeeling words like contento, triste, cansado and nervioso go with estar.
Think about the fair. Diego feels many things in one day. Estoy (I am happy) in the car. Estoy nervioso (I am nervous) on the Ferris wheel. Estoy (I am tired) at sunset. Each one is how he is right then.
Here are more feelings. Estoy triste. (I am sad.) Estoy enojado. (I am angry.) Estoy enfermo. (I am sick.) Estoy tranquilo. (I am calm.) All of them use estar because they can change.
Use muy (very) or un poco (a little) to say how much. Estoy muy cansado. Estoy un poco triste. Put muy or un poco right before the feeling word, never after it.
Words to know
contento / contenta
happy, glad — Estoy contenta. (I am happy.)
cansado / cansada
tired — Estoy cansado. (I am tired.)
triste
sad — the same for boys and girls: Estoy triste.
nervioso / nerviosa
nervous — Estoy nervioso antes del examen.
Check yourself
1. Diego is on a tall ride and feels scared. What does he say?
Why: A feeling right now uses estar, and a boy takes -o: Estoy nervioso.
2. What does Estoy un poco triste mean?
Why: Un poco means a little, and triste means sad.
3. Where does muy go in a sentence?
Why: Muy goes right before the word it changes: muy cansado.
12.5
Matching -o and -a
Main ideaFeeling words end in -o for a boy, -a for a girl, and add -s for a group.
At sunset Sara says Estoy cansada. Diego says Estoy cansado. They feel the same thing, but the endings differ. Sara is a girl, so she uses -a. Diego is a boy, so he uses -o.
For more than one person, add -s. Ellos están cansados. (They are tired.) Ellas están contentas. (They are happy, all girls.) A mixed group of boys and girls uses -os: Diego y Sara están cansados.
Words ending in -e, like triste, do not change for boy or girl. Él está triste. Ella está triste. For a group they add -s: Están tristes. English speakers often forget the ending because English adjectives never change.
Words to know
enojado / enojada
angry, mad — Mi hermana está enojada.
enfermo / enferma
sick — Los niños están enfermos.
Check yourself
1. Sara is sick. Which sentence is right?
Why: Sara takes está, and a girl takes -a: enferma.
2. Diego and Sara are angry. Which is right?
Why: Two people take están, and a mixed group of a boy and a girl uses -os.
3. Why does triste not change in Él está triste and Ella está triste?
Why: Describing words that end in -e do not change for boy or girl.
Section 3
Where People and Things Are
12.6
Estoy en la escuela
Main ideaEstar plus en tells where someone or something is right now.
Where are you right now? Probably in class. You say Estoy en la escuela (I am at school). means in or at. Estar plus en plus a place tells where someone is.
Use the right form for each person. Mi mamá está en el trabajo. (My mom is at work.) Nosotros estamos en la . (We are at home.) Los perros están en el parque. (The dogs are in the park.)
Here is a surprise. Even places that never move use estar. Chicago está en Illinois. (Chicago is in Illinois.) A common mistake is Chicago es en Illinois. For where a place or person is, use estar.
Words to know
en
in, at, on — Estoy en la escuela.
la escuela
the school — Estamos en la escuela.
la casa
the house, home — Estoy en la casa. (I am at home.)
Check yourself
1. How do you say We are at the park?
Why: Where you are uses estar, and we takes estamos.
2. Which sentence is correct?
Why: The location of a place uses estar plus en: Chicago está en Illinois.
3. What does Mi papá está en la casa mean?
Why: Está en la casa tells where he is: at home.
12.7
¿Dónde está?
Main ideaAsk ¿Dónde está? to find where someone or something is.
At the fair Sara asked ¿Dónde está la abuela? (Where is Grandma?) Dónde means where. With está it asks where someone is right now. For more than one, use están. ¿Dónde están los niños? (Where are the kids?)
Answer with estar and a place. Está en el puesto. (She is at the stand.) Están en el carro. (They are in the car.) You can also use aquí (here) and allí (there). El libro está aquí. (The book is here.)
Compare two questions. ¿De dónde es? asks where someone is from. It uses ser. ¿Dónde está? asks where someone is now. It uses estar. A trip to the fair changes where you are, not where you are from.
Words to know
aquí
here — Estoy aquí. (I am here.)
allí
there — La abuela está allí. (Grandma is there.)
Check yourself
1. What does ¿Dónde están los niños? ask?
Why: Dónde with están asks where people are right now.
2. Someone asks ¿Dónde está el libro? Which answer fits?
Why: Where something is uses estar: Está aquí means It is here.
3. Which question asks where Ana is from?
Why: Where someone is from uses ser and de: ¿De dónde es Ana?
Section 4
Ser or Estar?
12.8
The Rule of Thumb
Main ideaHow you feel and where you are use estar; who you are and what you are like use ser.
Now you know two verbs for to be. How do you choose? Here is a rule of thumb. How you feel and where you are use estar. Think: estar sounds like state and location. Estoy cansado. Estoy en casa.
Who you are, where you are from and what you are like use ser. Soy Diego. Soy de Chicago. Soy alto. Soy estudiante. These do not change from minute to minute.
Look at one person with both verbs. Sara es alta. (Sara is tall.) Sara está cansada. (Sara is tired.) Tall is what she is like, so use ser. Tired is how she feels today, so use estar.
Words to know
ser
to be — who you are, where you are from, what you are like, your job
estar
to be — how you feel and where you are right now
Check yourself
1. Which sentence needs estar?
Why: Tired today is a feeling right now, so it uses estar.
2. Choose the right word: Mi hermano ___ alto.
Why: Tall is what he is like, so use ser: es alto.
3. Choose the right word: Mi hermano ___ en la escuela.
Why: Where someone is uses estar: está en la escuela.
12.9
Choosing Ser or Estar
Main ideaAsk who or what like for ser, and how or where for estar.
When you are stuck, ask a question about the sentence. Does it answer who? or what is it like? Use ser. Does it answer how do you feel? or where? Use estar.
Try it. Maya ___ de Chicago. Where is she from? That is ser: Maya es de Chicago. Maya ___ en la feria. Where is she now? That is estar: Maya está en la feria. Just one word changes the meaning.
Some learners use es for everything because English uses is for everything. Slow down and check. Is it a feeling or a place? Pick estar. Is it a name, a home country, a trait or a job? Pick ser.
Words to know
¿quién?
who? — ser answers it: ¿Quién es? Es mi amiga.
¿dónde?
where? — estar answers it: ¿Dónde está? Está aquí.
Check yourself
1. Choose the right word: Hoy yo ___ muy contento.
Why: How you feel today uses estar, and yo takes estoy.
2. Choose the right word: Mis abuelos ___ de Guatemala.
Why: Where people are from uses ser, and they takes son.
3. Why do English speakers often use es where estar is needed?
Why: English has only one verb to be, so learners forget Spanish splits it into ser and estar.
Chapter review
Estar: How and Where I Am
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1. Choose the right word: Yo ___ cansada.
Why: Tired is a feeling right now, and yo takes estoy.
2. Choose the right word: Ellos ___ en el parque.
Why: Where people are uses estar, and ellos takes están.
3. What does ¿Cómo estás? ask?
Why: Cómo with estar asks how someone feels.
4. Which sentence is correct?
Why: Where someone is from uses ser, and one friend takes es.
5. Which form of estar needs an accent mark?
Why: Estás, está and están carry an accent. Estoy, estamos and estar do not.
6. At the fair, Sara said ¿Dónde está la abuela? What did she want to know?
Why: Dónde with estar asks where someone is right now.
7. Diego and Sara are happy. Which is right?
Why: Feelings use estar, two people take están, and a mixed group takes -os.
8. Which sentence uses ser correctly?
Why: Being a student is who you are, so it uses ser. The others are places or feelings.
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Unit wrap-up
Soy and Estoy
Twelve words, twelve meanings
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Tap a word, then tap its meaning. A right pair locks in green.
Words
Meanings
Unit test
Fifteen questions across the unit
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1. Choose the right word: Yo ___ de Puerto Rico.
Why: Where you are from uses ser, and yo takes soy.
2. Choose the right word: Hoy nosotros ___ cansados.
Why: A feeling today uses estar, and nosotros takes estamos.
3. What does Ella es mi amiga mean?
Why: Ella es means she is, and mi amiga means my friend.
4. Which sentence is correct?
Why: Where someone is uses estar: está en la casa.
5. How do you ask a friend How are you?
Why: ¿Cómo estás? uses estar and asks how someone feels.
6. A boy says he is tall. Which is right?
Why: Tall is what you are like, so use ser, and a boy takes -o.
7. Which is spelled the Spanish way?
Why: Nationality words are lowercase, and a group adds -s.
8. Choose the right word: Tú ___ muy inteligente.
Why: Smart is a trait, so use ser, and tú takes eres.
9. What does Chicago está en Illinois mean?
Why: Estar plus en tells where a place is.
10. Sara is sad today. Which is right?
Why: A feeling today uses estar, and Sara takes está.
11. Which form of estar goes with ellos?
Why: Ellos, ellas and ustedes take están.
12. My uncle is a cook. Which is right?
Why: Jobs use ser with no un, and a man is cocinero.
13. Which question asks where someone is from?
Why: ¿De dónde eres? uses ser and de to ask where you are from.
14. Leo y Ana ___ en la feria.
Why: Where people are uses estar, and two people take están.
15. What is the rule of thumb for estar?
Why: Estar is for how you feel and where you are right now.
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Spiral review
Five questions from earlier units
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1. (Unit 5) Your friend asks, "¿Te gusta el fútbol?" You don't like it. What do you say?
Why: First no answers; no before me gusta makes it negative.
2. (Unit 5) Which sentence means "Ana does not sing"?
Why: No goes right before the verb, and Ana takes -a: no canta.
3. (Unit 5) Which word means if?
Why: Si without an accent means if. Sí with an accent means yes.
4. (Unit 5) Which word means he?
Why: Él with an accent means he. El without it means the.
5. (Unit 5) The teacher asks the class, "¿Hablan inglés?" How does the class answer yes?
Why: The class answers as nosotros, so the ending is -amos: hablamos.
Send it to your teacher
Write it
Write 4 to 6 sentences in Spanish to introduce yourself to a pen pal. Say who you are and where you are from (ser), what you are like (ser), how you feel today (estar), and where you are right now (estar).
Use soy for your name, where you are from and what you are like.
Use estoy for how you feel and where you are.
Match -o or -a on each describing word to you.
Check accents: estás, está, están, and ¿De dónde?
Read it aloud to a partner before you finish.
0 wordsSaved on this device as you type.
Practice rooms
Rooms already on the site that belong to this unit — cards, quizzes, a lab.
Every lesson keeps its own three checks; a lesson is ticked when all three are right. Chapter reviews, the unit test and its spiral review (five questions from earlier units in this band) score on the page. When the site is connected to your sheet, or the link carries ?dest=, each one also has a Send box: the first-try score, the standards, the supports used, the attempt number and the minutes go to your sheet as an IEP data point.
Print this page for a paper copy of the readings, the sources, the words and the questions; the answers print as dashed boxes under each question.
Fact-check notes for this course live in the handoff: quotes marked (paraphrased) were set that way on purpose.