Ser y Estar

[xamaicano]

1. I was there yesterday.
Estuve allí ayer.
2. He was president in 1996.
Él fue Presidente en 1996.
3. We were waiting for you.
Te estábamos esperando.
4. They were in Spain.
Ellos estaban en España.
5. Were you at the party?
¿Estabas en la fiesta?

Also what is the proper translation of (sin embargo)?
However or nevertheless.

[Rick Snyder]

Thank you Lesley D for the translations but I'm still where I was. It is possible to explain in layman terms what constitutes using fue and estuve and or some examples? Thank you.

[ricktoronto]

Originally Posted by Rick Snyder

Thank you Lesley D for the translations but I'm still where I was. It is possible to explain in layman terms what constitutes using fue and estuve and or some examples? Thank you.

Fue is the perfect past of ser and estuve - perfect or estabas - imperfect tenses for estar so the same normal conditions of ser and estar apply to past tense. And future, and subjunctive.

Ser (fue) is about an occupation so it is not estar. The rest are about location (the party, Spain, waiting someplace, and "there" ) - all estar.

Present tense : soy Presidente (ser) I am president
Present tense: estoy en Espana (estar) I am in Spain

[AnnaC]

Rules For Using SER and ESTAR

SER
profession
physical characteristics
origin
nationality
gender

*Location*
Even though you may think of location as permanent, the verb ESTAR is used with location.


Estar

emotion
feelings
location_*
temporary condition




And if that doesn't help have a look at this.

Ser Y Estar

[Rick Snyder]

Thank you ricktoronto for the explanation. Now to apply it to learn how and when to use which. Some examples sure would have been great but who am I to complain?

[AnnaC]

Have a look at the site I posted above. It has samples

[Rick Snyder]

I was sending my post to ricktoronto at the same time that your post arrived. Sorry. I will use your link.

[xamaicano]

Originally Posted by Rick Snyder

Thank you ricktoronto for the explanation. Now to apply it to learn how and when to use which. Some examples sure would have been great but who am I to complain?

Here is an inexpensive little book that can help:

Spanish Verbs: Ser and Estar : Key to Mastering the Language (Hippocrene Language Studies) (Paperback)
by J. Serrano, S. Serrano

[ricktoronto]

Originally Posted by Rick Snyder

Thank you ricktoronto for the explanation. Now to apply it to learn how and when to use which. Some examples sure would have been great but who am I to complain?

I think Anna's list is adequate without examples, really. Think generally permanent things = ser, temporary = estar.

Never tell a girl: estas bonita (estar form), vs. eres bonita (ser form). Think about why. Bonita is "pretty"

[Rick Snyder]

Sorry ricktoronto but I have the present tense of ser and estar down. The problem is the past tense. In my old age my mind doesn't work like it used to, if it ever did, and I'm having trouble with fui and estaba. With examples my mind has a better chance of absorbing the information and I have yet to find examples and therefore have asked this board if they could in fact give some examples with the different personel pronouns using the words fui for ser and estaba for estar.