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Notes from ¿Qué tal? - Ser

Here are some basic language functions of set.
  • To identify people and things
  • Yo soy estudiante.
    La doctora Ramos es profesora.
    Alicia y yo somos amigas.
    Esto es un libro.
  • To describe people and things*
  • Soy sentimental. – I'm sentimental (a sentimental person).
    El coche es muy viejo. – The car is very old.
  • With de, to express origin
  • Somos de los Estados Unidos. – We're from the United States.
    ¿De dónde es Ud.? – Where are you from?
  • To express generalizations (only es)
  • Es importante estudiar, pero no es necesario estudiar todos los días. – It's important to study, but it's not necessary to study every day

Here are two basic language functions of ser that you have not yet practiced.
  • Ser is used with the preposition de to express possession.
  • Es el perro de Carla. – It's Carla dog.
    Son las gatas de Jorge. – They're Jorge's cats.
    ¿De quiën es el examen? – Whose exam is it?
    Es (el examen) de Raúl. – It's Raúl (exam).

    Note: there is no 's in Spanish.
    Note: the masculine singular article el contracts with the preposition de to form del. No other article contracts with de.
    Es la casa del nino. – It's the boy's house.
    Es la casa de las niñas. – It's the girls' house.
  • Ser is used with para to tell for whom or what something is intended.



by Thalia Dorwick, Ana María Pérez-Gironés, Marty Knorre, William R. Glass and Hildebrando Villarreal
Contributed by JB