Lesson 4 - ¿Cómo estás? (How are you?)
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Pages in this lesson: Question Words - estar - Dialogue - Reading - Quiz
This page: Learn the forms of the verb estar (to be) in Spanish.
estar (to be)
Grammar Lesson
What is the difference between ser and estar?
As we explained in the previous grammar lesson, there are two forms of the verb "to be" - ser and estar. The verb ser tends to be used with more permanent features like descriptions of your physical appearance, personality or nationality. An exception to this is that ser is used to describe the time and date, something which obviously changes and is not permanent. We will practice more with describing time and dates in a future lesson. The verb estar is used with more temporary features such as how you feel today or your location. Click on the forms of the verb in the table below to hear the pronunciation and repeat.
| Subject pronouns | Form of estar | English translation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | ► estoy | I am |
| tú | ► estás | you are |
| usted, él, ella | ► está | you are/he is/she is |
| nosotros, nosotras | ► estamos | we are |
| vosotros, vosotras | ► estáis | you are (used in Spain only) |
| ustedes, ellos, ellas | ► están | you are/they are |
Note: Remember that the subject pronoun doesn't necessarily have to be used in a sentence if it is clear who the subject is based on the context or verb form. For example, with the verb estoy, it is obvious that the subject is yo so the subject is generally not used. The subject may still be used, however, for emphasis.
Practice
Section 1
Select the correct form of the verb for the subject.
Practice
Section 2
Fill in the blank with the correct verb form.
feliz = happy (singular) | felices = happy (plural)
Negative
To make a verb negative in Spanish you just add the word "no" before the verb. (en la casa = in the house)
- Examples:
- No estoy en la casa.
- Ella no está en la casa.
- Los niños no están en la casa.
Section 3
Change the sentence to negative. Don't forget to use correct capitalization, accents and punctuation, or the computer will mark it as incorrect.
Yes/No Questions
To form yes/no questions in Spanish, you just change the word order by putting the verb first. If there is no subject (the verb is already first), all you need is to put question marks. In Spanish an upside-down question mark (¿) is used at the beginning of the question as well as a regular question mark (?) at the end. In some sentences the subject can go right after the verb or at the end of the sentence. If a verb has an object or adverb, however, the subject usually goes after the object or adverb.
- Examples:
- ¿Estás en la casa?
- ¿Está ella en la casa? (Is she at home?)
Often Spanish-speakers don't even change the word order for a question. They use the normal sentence word order and just add question marks (to written text) and question intonation (to spoken questions). We also do this in English when we are confirming something ("Maria is at home?").
- Examples:
- ¿María está en la casa?
- ¿Los niños están en la casa?
Questions with Question Words
To make questions with question words, the question word comes first, then the verb and then the subject (unless the question word is taking the place of the subject).
- Examples:
- ¿Dónde está María? = Where is Maria?
- ¿Quién es ella? = Who is she?
- ¿Cómo están niños? = How are the children?
If a preposition is used with the question word, it goes in front of the question word.
- Examples:
- ¿De dónde eres? = Where are you from? Literally "From where are you?"
- ¿De quién es el libro? = Whose book is this? Literally "Of whom is the book?"
Practice
Section 4:
Write the question in Spanish. Don't forget to use correct capitalization, accents and punctuation, or the computer will mark it as incorrect.
- Example:
- How is Vanessa? → ¿Cómo está Vanessa?
Find the mistake in the sentence and re-write it correctly in the space. Don't forget to use correct capitalization, accents and punctuation, or the computer will mark it as incorrect.
|
Writing
Write a few sentences with the forms of the verb estar to tell where people you know are at this moment.
Location ideas: en la casa = at home | en el trabajo = at work | en la escuela = at school | en la tienda = in the store | en la iglesia = at church
- Examples:
- Estoy en la casa. = I am at home.
- Mi mamá está en el trabjo. = My mom is at work.
If you want to type a special character (like an accented letter) in the comments section, you could do one of the following . . .
- Select and copy the character that you need → á é í ó ú ü ñ ¿ ¡ Á É Í Ó Ú Ü Ñ « »
- Use special codes on your computer if you have numeric keypad (instructions HERE).
- Type your sentences into the text box below and use the special character buttons provided. Then select and copy your text and paste it into the comments section.
If you see an error in someone else's sentence, please respond with the correction. Comments that are not from "Janet Castrejon" (the author of this page) do not represent Simplified Spanish. If someone is writing inappropriate comments on this webpage, please send a message to [email protected] and include the page that you saw the comment on.
Lesson 4 - ¿Cómo estás? (How are you?)
Question Words - estar - Dialogue - Reading - Quiz
Important Links
Pronouns - Pronunciation - Verbs
