Ser and Estar – Review

Few verbs have garnered as much attention and scholarly debate as the two “copular” verbs in Spanish: ser and estar. For native English speakers, the existence of two distinct verbs meaning “to be” can seem perplexing. The challenge of distinguishing between their uses is a significant hurdle for many learners of Spanish. Even among linguists, these verbs have sparked considerable controversy. This discussion will explore various perspectives on ser and estar, along with the shortcomings of traditional teaching methods associated with them.

Understanding the Scope of “To Be” in Spanish

While ser and estar are the primary verbs used to convey the concept of “being,” Spanish encompasses additional verbs such as sentar, verse, and salir, which can also imply a state of being in specific contexts. However, ser and estar remain the focal points due to their frequent application in everyday language.

Universally Accepted Uses of SER

1. With Time Phrases
   • Ya son las cinco (It’s already 5 o’clock)
   • Hoy es viernes (Today is Friday)
   • ¿Cuál es la fecha? Es el diez (What’s the date? It’s the tenth)
2. To Identify or Equate
   • Él es de Argentina (He’s from Argentina)
   • Es de madera (It’s made of wood)
3. With Impersonal Expressions
   • Es importante (It’s important)
   • Es muy difícil (It’s very difficult)

Universally Accepted Uses of ESTAR

1. As an Auxiliary Verb Indicating Progression
   • Está caminandando (He/she is walking)
2. To Indicate Location
   • Estamos en Londres (We are in London)

Mnemonic Devices for Remembering Uses

Textbooks often recommend mnemonic devices to help learners remember when to use these verbs:

• For ser, one can use the acronym DOCTOR:
  • Date/Description
  • Occupation
  • Characteristic
  • Time
  • Origin
  • Relationship
• For estar, the acronym PLACE is helpful:
  • Position
  • Location
  • Action
  • Condition
  • Emotion

Contexts for Using Either Ser or Estar

There are instances where both verbs can be employed, but their use changes the meaning:

• La casa fue destruida (The house was destroyed) – emphasizes the action.
• La casa estuvo destruida (The house was destroyed) – focuses on the resulting state.
• Madrid es allí translates to “Madrid is there,” – equating Madrid with a location.
• Madrid está allí emphasizes Madrid’s location – at that moment.

The Underlying Principles Behind Usage

A common approach to understanding these verbs was proposed by Andrés Bello in his 1847 work, “Gramática de la lengua castellana.” He suggested that ser indicates permanent qualities while estar denotes transient states. This framework helps explain many usages; for example:

• Es de Barcelona implies a permanent quality related to origin.
• Ella está en Barcelona indicates a temporary location.

However, this binary classification raises philosophical questions about what constitutes permanence versus temporality. For instance, using estar with está muerto (he/she is dead) suggests a temporary state, which contradicts our understanding of death as a permanent condition.

The Complexity of Choice

The decision to use either verb is not always straightforward and can depend on nuanced meanings rather than strict rules. For example, saying el cielo es azul (“the sky is blue”) conveys a characteristic, while el cielo está azul suggests a temporary condition influenced by current circumstances.

A Perspective Shift: Temporal vs. Atemporal Relationships

Navas Ruiz’s theory from 1963 posits that choosing between these two verbs reflects the speaker’s intended perspective rather than philosophical categorization. He argues that:

• Using ser establishes an atemporal relationship, abstracting meaning from time.
• Using estar indicates possession of an attribute over a period, acknowledging its potential for change.

For example:

• In la nieve es blanca, whiteness is attributed to snow without consideration for change.
• In contrast, la nieve está blanca emphasizes its current state, which may be subject to alteration.

 Location Considerations

Choosing between ser and estar regarding location often confuses learners:

• Physical locations typically require estar:
  • Estamos a 50 kilómetros de Bogotá (We’re 50 kilometers from Bogotá).
• Events utilize ser:
  • La fiesta es en el parque (The party is in the park).

This distinction arises because events lack physical properties; they exist conceptually rather than spatially.